Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Daily Nugget: As James concluded his letter, he gave his readers some spiritual advice. Most likely his advice was to halt practices that were going on in the lives of Christians then. His spiritual council included: That certain rich men, mostly likely unsaved (James 5:1-6), used their power and finances to take advantage of those they employed. James scolded them and told them their ill-gotten wealth was corrupted. God’s hand of blessing was not on them because of their atrocious behavior. Encouragement to Christians that they needed to be patient, as the Lord would someday return (James 5:7-8). Even during those times, early Christians expected the Lord to return. Like those people, all we can do is wait patiently and work until He comes. Not to hold grudges against others (James 5:9-11) — especially Christians. Not to swear. Although no one should utter filthy language, that is not the type of swearing it refers to here. James told these people not to make promises, or oaths,

Daily Nugget: James discusses a sin that has robbed many of an opportunity to be fully satisfied. It has also stolen much joy that some could be enjoying. This iniquity has often left some “emptier” than they were previously. As do all transgressions, this rampant sin gets people further away from God than they would ever imagine. It is the sin of lusting that is exposed in this chapter. One’s longing desire for many of the world’s tempting offerings is often an attempt to meet spiritual needs in one’s life with worldly things. One will never be truly fulfilled that way. More will always be needed as one’s carnal appetite increases. Lust for power and riches have caused the deaths of unfathomable numbers in war (James 4:2). No matter the earthly treasure gained, the insatiable hole in one’s soul remains unfilled (James 4:3). Covetous actions are identified as sin in the Bible. Attempts in asking God for things that will involve them in things God does not want them to have in the first

Daily Nugget: A part of man or woman, big or small, old or young, gets them in the most trouble. As small as it is (James 3:5), this appendage helps send many in the wrong direction (James 3:3,4) and is responsible for many things that its owner regrets. This difficult to manage part of everyone’s anatomy is one’s tongue. Controlled, one’s tongue can be a blessing to God and man (James 3:9, 10). Uncontrolled, the tongue can: Make some desire to govern other’s lives (James 3:1). As Matthew Henry has said, “… do not give yourselves the air of teachers, imposers, and judges, but rather speak with the humility and spirit of learners. Do not censure one another, as if all must be brought to your standard.” Offend others (James 3:2). Govern one’s whole body into doing wrong things (James 3:3, 4). Boast. We are nothing on our merit. If we have achieved anything more than a normal person, it is only because of God’s grace, mercy, and blessing. Boasting elevates our successes due to our m

Daily Nugget: The one thing that has kept many out of Heaven, even professing Christians, is discussed in this chapter (James 2:4-26). Sadly, those people may have thought they had done what was necessary to obtain Heaven but found they were mistaken. The faith that they thought would bar them from everlasting torment turned out not to be “real” faith. Just believing in God is not saving or trusting faith! Even the devils believe in God (James 2:19). They even tremble at the mention of Him, yet their “faith” will not save them any more than that kind of faith will save anyone. Satan has even talked to God, yet his knowing the Creator will not get him into Heaven. Knowledge is not necessarily faith. I can believe that there is a president in the Whitehouse, but that faith does not make me a member of his family or even part of his cabinet. Genuine Christian faith is more than knowing about spiritual things. The one ingredient that makes faith real is that one trusts one’s belief physica

Daily Nugget: James, who some believe to be the brother of Jesus, gives practical advice in this writing. One of the most helpful and oft-experienced situations for all people, including believers, is discussed here. The “good” side of going through difficulties is examined in James 1:2-6. Here James identifies the difficulties, trials, and enticements all face as “divers temptations.” Although most initially shudder at even the thought of going through different problems, James exposes what can positively be gained by going through our individual “valleys.” Instead of agreeing how terrible it is to have problems, James encourages Christians to “… count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;” (James 1:2). How could anyone be joyful when facing joblessness, heartaches, financial problems, family problems, or the thousands of difficulties we all face in our lifetime? James tells us we can be “joyful” because: The trying of our faith during the hard times builds our patience

Daily Nugget: In closing his letter to the Hebrew Christians, Paul left them with eight pieces of advice dealing with a Christian’s social duties. They were: To love other Christians (Hebrews 13:1). To be nice to strangers, especially because we do not know that when we do, we may be entertaining angels (Hebrews 13:1). This informs a Bible reader that angels are real and that we may contact them more often than we realize. Because we may entertain them “unawares,” the art depicting them with wings and halos is not accurate. If they had those features, we could distinguish them from other people. However, if they looked like normal men, we would never know if we had communicated with them. You may even come in contact with an angel today! To be concerned about the difficulties others are going through as if they were your trials (Hebrews 13:3). To remember, marriage is the “honourable” thing, whereas adultery and fornication (sexual relations without being married) are not (Hebrews

Daily Nugget: At one time or the other, every Christian contemplates why they are going through trials and tribulations. Nowhere in the Word of God does it say that life will be easy once one is saved, although we do have much godly protection. After salvation, life may be harder. That may be why so many “quit” their attempts to live holy. The end of Hebrews 11 listed many that lost their lives for their faith, but the trials most of us face are nothing like they dealt with (Hebrews 12:4). Even the perfect Son of God faced difficulties imposed by others of far inferior spiritual standing (Hebrews 12:3). We should not be surprised when hard times come our way. However, some of the “hard times” many faces are self-induced. Often the problems experienced are the side effects of one’s sin. Other times, our tribulations result from one’s heavenly Father disciplining us for straying from the path He desired us to take. Those that utter, “I can’t understand how a God of love could punish H

Daily Nugget: Beginning in Hebrews 10:38 and continuing throughout Hebrews 11, Paul writes about another important spiritual concept that the Hebrews needed to understand. He wrote about faith. This concept was prevalent throughout Old Testament times and should also have been recognized by the Hebrews. Hebrews 11:1 gives the best definition of what faith is: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is what one has when he is convinced that, without sight or visual proof, what he is desiring or trusting will come to fruition or is true. The expectation is so great that it is almost “substance.” Much of the chapter highlights the lives of believers the Hebrews would have known and how faith was the driving force behind what they accomplished. Over nineteen Old Testament saints were cited in “God’s Hall of Faith” for their great faith in their mighty God. Three examples of Abraham's faith (Hebrews 11:8, 9, 17), four from Moses (Hebrews

Daily Nugget: For the early Hebrews, and those that still do not understand what Paul said about the practice of the Mosaic law being a glimpse of futuristic worship, one further word was used to describe that time. Paul illustrates that practice as a “shadow” of good things to come (Hebrews 10:10). When a person approaches you in the dusk of a fall evening and is several hundred feet away, he is but a shadow. One can see that it is a person approaching, but the details of what the person looks like and what he is wearing are not clear.  That is how those practicing the Mosaic laws saw future worship. They saw it as a distant shadow. They could see the furniture of the temple worship, the priest, and all the sacrifices. They knew they stood for something and were prophetic, but they did not grasp their whole meaning until Christ came. After the Saviour came, many saw clearly what God had planned to show them for a long time.  They knew their sacrifices were not enough to take away th

Daily Nugget: In his further writings to the Hebrews, Paul continues to address the worship they were familiar with before their salvation. Although this chapter continues about the priesthood, he also delved into examining the tabernacle. In Hebrews 9, Paul continued to address the worship the Hebrews were familiar with before their salvation. Although that chapter continues about the priesthood, he also delved into examining the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the first “church” the Jews built. When Moses was on the mountain with God and received the ten commandments, he also received instructions from God on how to make the mobile center for worshiping God. The tent was only 45 feet long and 15 feet wide, but the structure and furnishings pictured a future change in the way of worshiping. It pictured Christ. Paul made it clear that this early place of worship was a glimpse of future things. At least six times, the preacher used terminology indicating that even their forefathers we

Daily Nugget: In Hebrews 8, Paul gives the Hebrew believers five more reasons Christ is the better High Priest: Christ, our High Priest is sitting. No Levitical priest ever sat because their work was never done. There were no chairs in the tabernacle or temple. Here, our Priest’s one-time sacrifice is complete, and Jesus is seated (Hebrews 8:1). Jesus’ earthly ministry is finished! Christ, our High Priest, is at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 8:1). No Old Testament priest ever saw God, let alone sat next to Him, as does Jesus. Christ is the minister of the “sanctuary and the true tabernacle” (Hebrews 8:2-4). All the Levitical priests ministered in a God-ordered but man-made tabernacle and later a man-made temple. The tabernacle was not perfect, although created as God relayed its design to Moses. All the earlier Levitical priests presented a “shadow,” or picture, of heavenly things to come (Hebrews 8:5). Christ’s ministry is not a picture of anything to come. It is the real

Daily Nugget: Hebrews 7 continues to explain why Jesus is the “better” high priest. This epistle (letter) was addressed to Hebrews, who were quite familiar with the Old Testament priesthood. In language they could understand, Paul continues to compare (also in Hebrews 5) the priesthood of a certain priest, Melchisedec, to the current High Priest, Jesus. Bible students would call this relationship of the priest in the past to Jesus a “type.” The earlier Melchisedec gave the Jews of his era an idea of who the upcoming Jesus would be and what He would do. Melchisedec was a high priest before the Levitical priesthood was established. When Abraham was returning from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:17-19), Melchisedec met him and gave Abraham bread, wine, and blessed him. In return, Abraham gave the priest his tithes. Here are some similarities between Melchisedec and Jesus: Melchisedec was a high priest. Jesus is our high priest. Melchisedec means “king of righteousness.” He was

Daily Nugget: In understanding this difficult chapter, it is important to understand one thing. “Therefore” at the beginning of Hebrews 6 tells it is continuing what was discussed in Chapter 5. That chapter ended after addressing those that were not growing in the things of God. Those people discussed previously should have been teachers (Hebrews 5:12) but instead were in dire need of the basics. In this chapter, it is talking about those people that had spiritual growth problems. The group of people this letter addresses were not growing in “perfection” (Hebrews 6:1). “Perfection” here is not saying that we can be perfect, as none can. All can be forgiven, however. Those people were not moving on and understanding other spiritual things. They were not improving or “perfecting” themselves spiritually. They were “stuck” in believing and following teachings they had learned in Judaism. They were: Not turning from their “dead works” (Hebrews 6:1) — the traditions and Levitical rites t

Daily Nugget: During Old Testament times, there were priests who served as mediators between God and man, presenting their prayers and sacrifices to Him. Before Moses, the priests’ duties were often done by the head of a household, as did Job, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. During Moses’ day, God appointed priests from the Levite lineage. This practice was intended only to continue until the perfect priest came, Jesus Christ. The Old Testament priests were not perfect. Their limitations were because: They were ordained (“appointed by”) by men, although they were of an ancestry ordered by God (Hebrews 5:1). Not just any man could be a priest. They had to go to God with sacrifices and gifts (Hebrews 5:1, 3). The offerings were not a one-time gift. They had to be offered more than once. They were only temporary appeasements to a Holy God. The priests themselves were sinners. They also had to give an offering for themselves (Hebrews 5:2, 3). Soon the priesthood stopped. The sacrifices ha

Daily Nugget: Most know what it is like not to have rest. The constant working and daily activity can leave us tattered, harried, nervous, and without the peace, we normally would have. The nine “rests” mentioned throughout this chapter (found in Hebrews 4:1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11) speak of a similar feeling one can experience when one does without another type of rest. In most of the references, it refers to a spiritual rest one has when they have done what the Holy Spirit had shown them to do. They no longer feel convicted, guilty, or oppressed by their conscience. The rests referred to in this chapter are: the rest God took after He created all in our universe (Hebrews 4:4), the rest one has when they are saved and have peace within their spiritual hearts, and the eternal rest all believers will one day have when they spend eternity with Jesus (Hebrews 4:9, 10). Until a believer goes to his eternal rest, he is to work to please God. The “guidebook” to lead one through a life tha