Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: There's hope. Why? Jesus is coming. It's not the end of the world for the Christian. Yes, people are going to make fun of you, they're going to laugh at you, they're going to say things about you, but who cares? You know where you're going. I know where I'm going. These are not days to be playing games. These are days to get serious with God.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. Well, thank you for being with us today. As we return to the book of James, Raul will give us a challenge to stand strong in the Lord as we await Jesus' return.

As Raul takes us back to the book of James today, he'll challenge us to stand strong in the Lord as we await Jesus' return. You might be mocked for your faith and you'll almost certainly experience trials that test it, but God can help you endure and hold firm. Keep listening for encouragement to be an unwavering witness of the gospel in these final days before Jesus returns. Here's Raul Ries in the book of James chapter five, beginning in verse seven.

Raul Ries: It's pretty amazing James in the way that he was not a believer and Jude himself being a brother of Jesus, their brother. And then to write this great epistle that has so much meat for us. I was thinking of what's happening in the world today and the message that James brings right before he closes his book in chapter five and tonight we'll be looking at that. Especially concerning how the rich were oppressing the poor in that culture in that time.

And yet, let's begin now in chapter five, verse seven through nine. As we look at now James giving us three examples of patience in action. Number one, he gives us a metaphor of a farmer, a prophet's, and then the man Job is also as an illustration of patience. He begins here in chapter five, verse seven and he says, "Therefore, be patient, brethren." Who's he speaking to first of all? He's speaking to believers, not non-believers.

And he's talking to believers about being patient. Making sure that we in the midst of trials know how to endure and how to have peace in time of trouble. Because if we don't have a foundation, we don't have a base, when trials come and it begins to get cloudy and all of a sudden begins to rain and then thundering and really begins to pour, yet are we going to stand on the rock, which is Jesus Christ?

And here James is just amazing the way he brings about this whole thing. Because James here is talking again about suffering of the poor and being persecuted by the rich in that particular time. And so James now says, "Therefore, because of this, be patient, brethren." Look what it says: "until the coming of the Lord." So this is not just for them, this is for us. Present to the future. He's talking to you and to me tonight. Because we are living in a very evil time.

So James here is literally speaking to our hearts. Notice: "See now how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently until it receives the early and the latter rain." Right along with that, he gives you an illustration, an analogy of a farmer. God is the farmer. What does a farmer do? He goes out, looks at his field, and then he cleanses his field, and then he works it.

And he waters it and takes care of it, and very patiently he waits for the fruit to come, and then what does he do? He harvests the fruit. That's the illustration he gives us here. Did you notice what he said there? The early and the latter rain. According to the Hebrews, the early rains were between October and November and the latter rains were between March and April when they would come.

And if you go to Israel, you know that there's not a lot of rain in Israel. It's like a desert. Amazing place. And yet God waters that place. And he's saying, look you guys, make sure that you understand that this is a real thing. Why? Because in verse seven and also in verse eight and verse nine, he speaks about what? The coming of the Lord in three verses in a row. He wants you to know that this is the coming of the Lord.

He wants you to be patient. There's hope. Why? Jesus is coming. It's not the end of the world for the Christian. But it's going to be tough to be a Christian. It's going to be tough. Because times are going to get tough. And are we really ready to face tough times? Are we really ready? That's why he uses here he says, notice the illustration here: "See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently." You see? He's stuck with that word patient. "Waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and the latter rain." How long has Jesus been gone now? Almost 2,000 years. Almost 2,000 years. Imagine that. He's going to come soon.

When you go back into the scriptures and you look at the whole scenario of prophecy, you start out with the book of Genesis chapter one into chapter 11 and you have a total period of time, the timetable, 2,000 years fulfilled in history in 11 chapters of the Bible in the first book of the Bible. And then in chapters 12 through 50, 350 years, and then from chapter, again going backwards from chapter 12 Genesis through Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Judges and then you go to Samuel and Chronicles and Kings and all the way through Psalms, Proverbs and all the way to the last book of Malachi.

Then what happens? You have 400 years of silence between Malachi and Matthew. By the time you come to chapter one of Matthew you start with the genealogies of Jesus Christ, 2,000 years now have been fulfilled. That's 4,000 years. 2,000 from chapter one through 11 of Genesis, chapter 12 through Matthew chapter one, another 2,000 years, and then what? And then you have another 2,000 years which makes it 6,000 years by the time Jesus Christ comes again.

It will be a total period of time, 6,000 years historically in eschatology. Why? Because then he'll come back, set up his kingdom on the earth for a thousand years. Six and one is what? Seven. 7,000 years. And if you add one it gives you an eight. At the end of the 7,000-year period what does he do? He does a new heaven and a new earth. Eight is the number of new beginnings. Seven is the number of perfection. Six is the number of man, imperfect. Interesting when you look at the scriptures.

And it's almost been 6,000 years prophetically when you look at the coming of the Lord now since Jesus left from the Mount of Olives 1,900 years ago. And he told the disciples as they were looking up, the angels said, "What are you guys looking at?" He says, "The same Jesus is going up, the same Jesus is coming again." It's a promise of the coming of the Lord. The coming of Jesus Christ again.

And here the illustration is given of the farmer that has a farm and he's farming his land and taking care of it and he waits patiently for what? For the actual wheat to come out or whatever he's actually growing. And then when harvest times come, what happens? He is blessed. He is blessed. And we're going to be blessed when the Lord comes. But meanwhile he says, are you ready for what's coming? Are you ready to have patience? Will you have patience right before the Lord Jesus Christ comes again? Because he is going to come.

And then check this out. This is amazing. Because as we're talking concerning the coming of the Lord, if you really study God's word, what should be my attitude in waiting for the coming of the Lord? Number one, my attitude should be what? Truly waiting patiently for him to come. And I'll give you the scriptures you can look them up: First Corinthians 1:7. Secondly, we need to look for the coming of the Lord: Titus 2:13. And three, we need to be ready at any time. Be on the alert. That's what Jesus said. Be on the alert: Matthew 24:42 to 51.

And then we need to live the life of holiness, the life of separation from the world and have the fear of the Lord as we're waiting for Jesus to come. Yes, people are going to make fun of you, they're going to laugh at you, they're going to say things about you, but who cares? You know where you're going. I know where I'm going. Time is short. These are not days to be playing games. These are days to get serious with God. And then we need to pray. To pray for Jesus Christ to come again.

And to pray for those that do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That before he comes many of our loved ones and friends might get saved before it's too late. You know what people don't understand is that once your mother or your father, or your brother, sister, or your son or your daughter, if they don't come to Jesus Christ and they die without Jesus Christ, you will never see them again. That's truth. Never. It's a done deal. That's what the Bible says. That's not what I'm saying to you. It's a done deal.

If we truly believe that, wouldn't we be excited and at the same time sad and I would try to do everything under my power to make sure that I would win my loved ones to the Lord before it's too late? That's the kind of urgency the church needs today. We need it all. Imagine losing a daughter or a son and never see them again or a mother and father, never see them again, or a grandparent. It's a serious thing to come to Jesus Christ. And that's why James is so serious about the coming of the Lord, how we need to be patient. We need to really have this urgency within our hearts about our loved ones and our friends and anybody we know.

Verse eight: He says, "You also," he's talking to Christians, "you also be patient." He keeps repeating himself because he knows how impatient we are. We are very impatient people. He's exhorting it again. And what's really beautiful here is that the Holy Spirit is the only one that can do this, bring the attitude of really being patient in my life. But at the same time we all need patience in the coming of the Lord. To be patient, you also be patient.

The word that he uses here, "to establish your hearts," the word to establish means to strengthen, to make forth, or to set finally so that the heart will be unshakable. So your heart is unshakable. That's the word that he uses there. To settle or to strengthen in the Greek. To have your heart settled, strengthened in the Lord. This way we can't be moved. He's talking about our hearts. He says establish your hearts. And check this out: "for the coming of the Lord" again. Notice that. For the coming of the Lord. Jesus is going to come again.

He's going to come again. We need to be doing what? God's will in pleasing God in every area of my life when Jesus Christ comes. You don't want to have him come unexpectedly and catch you doing what you're not supposed to be doing. Luke says when he comes, let him find you so doing the will of God. You want to make sure of that. And yet you think of the church and how many people are struggling with drugs and alcohol and sexual adventures in life and lying and cheating, which are sins that will send you to hell.

You say you mean to lie is a sin? Oh, it's a lie. It'll send you to hell. In the Bible it says no liars will inherit the kingdom of God. Lying. We need to speak truth. We need to be honest in business. We need to be honest as parents with our children, teaching them integrity. That's why he says establish your hearts, strengthen your heart, settle your heart, because Jesus is coming again. Make sure you're living according to the word of God.

How soon is Jesus Christ coming? Very soon. He keeps pounding it, he says look, the Lord is coming. He's going to come again. And then check this out, verse nine. He says, "Do not grumble against one another." And then he talks about the attitude we should have, don't be grumbling. The word grumble here is talking about a bitter heart. Do you have a bitter heart tonight against somebody? You grumble against people. Always murmuring and complaining, always misjudging people. That's not good. Do not be that kind of a person. Especially look what he says, "Do not grumble against one another, brethren." Who's he talking about? Christians. Not non-believers, Christians. He's talking about you and me as believers in the kingdom of God.

Look what Matthew chapter seven says. Matthew chapter seven verse one and two. He says this, Jesus: "Judge not, that you be not judged, for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look on the speck in your brother's eye and do not consider the plank that is in your own eye?" You know you see somebody and they have a 10 by four in their eye and you say man you know you start criticizing them and yet you have a 20 by 20 in your eye. He says take care of your problem before you start judging other people.

And as Christians let's be honest, we have a real problem with what? Having critical judgment for other people. Just because we don't have what they have or maybe they don't look what we want them to look like. That's a problem. People can be very critical because you don't fit the mold. No we should not be like that. As brothers and sisters in the Lord we should love one another, not talk about one another. We should forgive one another. We should build up one another, not tear down one another. And yet I think of how many parents tear down their children all the time, verbally, physically, spiritually. God help us as believers.

We need to be like Christ. To be like Christ in everything that we say, everything that we do. All of our actions have to be like Christ. I know that's hard but that's what we're ordered to do. That's why James here is just really saying look, pay attention, look. Do not grumble against one another. Another word that he uses here, the word grumble can also mean quit groaning. It's like a groan. He says against one another, brethren. Look what he says, "lest you be" what? "condemned." Whoa. That's talking to Christians. Lest you be condemned.

Because listen: "behold, the judge is standing at the door." That's going to judge you. He's going to judge me. He's going to judge all of us. For the child of God, in the book of Romans chapter 14 verse 10, he talks about the Bema Seat of Christ. In the book of Second Corinthians 5:10, he talks about the Bema Seat of Christ. In First Corinthians chapter three 11 through 17, he talks about the Bema Seat of Christ, which means this: that once we come to Jesus Christ on the cross of Jesus Christ, our sins are taken care of. The blood of Christ covers our sins.

But now as we stand before God on the day of judgment, not like the non-believer, but as believers, it will be the Bema Seat of Christ where we will be judged for our attitudes. How we'll be judged for my giving, for my misjudging, my serving the Lord. Whatever I have done, he's going to cast it into the fire. He's going to wave it on and whatever burns is going to burn and whatever comes out of the fire, that will be my reward. And if nothing comes out of the fire, he says I will be saved as by the fire. Why? Because salvation is a free gift of God. Think about that. Jesus is going to judge even believers. Our attitude, our actions as believers.

And then I think on the other side how he's going to judge those in Revelation chapter 20 verse 11 through 15, the White Throne Judgment when they line up and the books are going to be open. Can you imagine that? God keeps records. His books. And the books are going to be open and whoever's name is not found written in the Book of Life will be cast immediately into the lake of fire. Nobody will justify themselves there. They're done. Imagine that. And the non-believer doesn't even know that. We need to tell them. We need to share with them. We need to warn them before it's too late.

And then they're going to go into the lake of fire forever and ever where the worm never dies. I mean, it's horrible when you read what Jesus said about hell and the lake of fire. Horrible gnashing of teeth. I mean, here James is warning us. He's warning Christians. "Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge is standing at the door." Standing at the door. The door to what? The door of judgment. Jesus is getting ready to come and when he comes, he is going to judge.

The first thing Jesus does when he comes back at the second coming and we're coming back with him, the Christians are going to come back with him, we're coming back to the battle of Armageddon and it's going to be millions of people in the valley of Megiddo. We've been there so many times, incredible valley. And the Bible says when Christ comes back riding upon a white horse and they start fighting against him, he wipes them out. There's going to be blood 180 miles to 200 miles of men's blood in the valley of Megiddo. Imagine that. Five feet deep. Up to the horse's nose, five feet deep. Read your Bibles.

And then Jesus Christ from there will go over to the Mount of Olives, to Jerusalem. And he'll come down with his right foot and touch the Mount of Olives and it will cleave in half. Zechariah chapter 14 you can read. And out of the middle of the actual mountain a river of water below it, a spring of water's going to come up and it's going to go backwards toward Jericho over to the Dead Sea behind me and it's going to touch the Dead Sea which nothing grows, is the lowest place in the earth and it's totally salt today and yet the Bible says when that water touches it in the thousand year reign of Christ, it's going to be the best place to do fishing. And he's going to set up his kingdom on the earth and we're going to come and rule with him on the earth for a thousand years. That's why we need to be ready, in season and out of season. We need to be ready to say Lord do whatever you want to do in my life. I'm ready to do it, Jesus.

Guest (Male): Well it is our prayer that today's lesson has re-energized your commitment to faithfully represent Christ as you live every day in anticipation of his return. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. If you'd like to get a complete copy of today's program, we'll be happy to send one to you for a donation of $5 or more. Just call us at 800-634-9165 and mention today's study from James chapter five verses seven through nine.

We'd also like to offer you an insightful series titled Traits of a Christian, featuring biblical direction for a thriving faith walk. Raul's eight-part study is available on both CD and flash drive. As you learn how to grow your personal relationship with God through more time spent in the word, you'll also gain confidence to share the gospel in these final days before Jesus returns. Visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165 to purchase Raul's eight-part series titled Traits of a Christian. We'll send you the CD collection for $22 or the USB for just $12. The number again is 800-634-9165. Or write to Somebody Loves You Radio, PO Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

We'd like to point you to our website, somebodylovesyou.com, for a wealth of resources. You'll find a library of print and audio resources on many topics that point us to a faithful walk with Christ. Also, you'll be able to listen to our current study, download our mobile app, and link to our online store. It's all there for you at somebodylovesyou.com. Your contributions help us keep sharing the good news of the gospel and we're grateful for your partnership. Next time on Somebody Loves You Radio, we'll press on in this series in James with assurance that no matter what trials you face in life as a Christian, they're only temporary. The fact is God has promised you eternal life in heaven where there's no place for sorrow or suffering.

This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.