No notes for you this week (except the main scriptures were Hebrews 11:1-3 and Hebrews 12:1-2....I can post that part), but we now have the Facebook Live video up on Youtube. So, if you like you can watch Shannon deliver this message today rather than just listen!
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Hebrews 11:1-3

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

If you do watch the Youtube Video please subscribe to the channel. We can go live on Youtube once we have enough subscribers. Thank you.

 The world is full of labels -- people labeling themselves and people labeling other people.

How does the world see Christians?
In a 2008 Lifeway survey of nonchurchgoing Americans, this is what they found:
​79% said Christianity is more about organized religion than about God
86% said it is possible to have a good relationship with God without going to church
44% said Christians “get on their nerves”
89%  have close friends who are Christians
79% are open to having an honest conversation with a Christian about  faith if asked. 

Also, they saw that Christians see efficiency as more important than spirituality. And that Christians just want to be entertained.

What are we to see as we look at others? Especially those who don't agree with us; who don't look like us; who aren't Christians?
1. They are Created in God's image.

"So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

2. God desires all to be saved.

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:1-4

3. God looks at the heart

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”" 1 Samuel 16:7

He doesn't see people as we do.

As yourself three questions:
How do I see myself as a Christian?
How do others describe me as a Christian?
How do you think God sees you?

God wants absolutely everybody and He is seeking everyone and talking to everyone on this earth right at this moment!

What a radical concept!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Jesus the radical! He talked to people society told Him He shouldn't talk to! 

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:35-36

He had pity on the crowds! He saw they were like sheep. He saw they needed Him.

Here are the commands from Radical Jesus:

Do not judge!
 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:1-3

Repent – yourselves!

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17

Let your light shine!

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Love your enemies!

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?" Matthew 5:44-46

Love God completely!

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22:37-38

And Love everybody else too!

"And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:39-40

What we've learned so far from James 1-3:
​• Turn your trials into triumphs
• Defeat sin and temptation
• Be doer and not simply a hearer of the word
• Reign in your tongues
• Looks after the widow, the orphan and the less fortunate
• Updates your favorites list (and welcoming all no matter who they are, where they’ve been, what they look like or struggle with) to come and sit with us at the feet of Jesus

And here we go again in James 4 -- James doesn't pull any punches. He is talking to Believers and he is brutally honest:

​"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." James 4:1-3

Don't watch the news all the time. Find out what is going on and then don't watch at all the rest of the day. Only turning to God is going to heal this country. If we can't overcome all this with love we are not doing things God's way. We live in a two-minded society. God's way or the world's way. 

"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4

"You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!" Ezekiel 16:32

"For he who is not against us is for us." Mark 9:40

We are with God or against God.

"Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “[e]He [f]jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?" James 4:5

God is jealous over his relationship with us. He loves us. He wants the best for us. When we choose to live apart from Him or do things the world's way we are putting a wedge between us and Him and we are choosing something that will harm us. He is jealous in that He wants to keep us from harm and wants to be in relationship with us. We can't have the world and have Jesus. One or the other.

"He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

When we attack each other (as our whole country seems to be doing) we do it in pride. We can't hear or see the other person as a person. We just want to be right.

James 4:6 is the gospel in a minature.

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Romans 5:20

"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

"And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me" Luke 9:23

We do this every day. No time off. It is a way of life. Deny self. Turn to Jesus and follow Him. God is right with us. Nothing or no one can overcome us with God on our side.  Choose to live for God intentionally. 

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8

Clean up your act Believer. You know better (is what he is saying). And we do....

Biblical Handwashing
Sanitation:
Leviticus 15:11
11 Likewise, whomever the one with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 15:13
13 ‘Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in [a]running water and will become clean

Separation:​​
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”
Psalm 26:5-6
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O Lord

Sanctification:
​​Exodus 30:18-20
18 “You shall also make a laver of [a]bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; 20 when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord.

Psalm 24:3-4
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul [a]to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.

"Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." James 4:9-10

"Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?" James 4:11-12

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and [a]by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:1-3

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 [g]Yet you do not know [h]what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 [i]Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your [j]arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the [k]right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:13-17

Application:
1. Be honest with yourself
2. Be honest with God
3. Pray for our country.
4. Pray especially for those people you disagree with.