Endurance
- Cornerstone Church
- Aug 1
- 5 min read
The journey through Acts and the infancy of the Church continues. The previous week was full of examples that Jesus is reconciling all nations to Himself as promised to Abraham. God gave special care to showing the Jewish believers that salvation and the Holy Spirit was for all, to include Samaritans, Gentiles, and an Ethiopian Eunuch. This week also introduces James, Jesus’ half brother as an important pillar of the growing Church (see Acts 12:17). Do not get him confused with James, the brother of John that is martyred by Herod in Acts 12:2. Included in this week’s readings is the Book of James, written by James the half brother of Jesus. It focuses a lot on Christian living and endurance. The first chapter introduces the themes that will be kept to the end of the book. Christians endure trials proving they are actively believing in and following Christ, and that they are obedient to all His commands proving they are actively believing in and following Christ. These challenges are actually a source of joy because they strengthen your faith like a muscle, make you a complete person through living consistently in your faith, and grow your hope in Christ setting everything right when He returns, and that is the Big Picture.
Each week, as you take in the Bible, find some friends to talk it out. You can follow this simple guide to help. First, R.E.A.D. and P.R.A.Y. on your own. Then, meet with friends to share what you've learned.
R - Repeated words
E - Examine and mark
A - Ask what you learn about God
D - Do if there is anything to do
P - Praise
R - Repent
A - Ask
Week 32
Bible Reading Plan
Daily Prayer Plan
START IT.
We're reading the Bible together in 2025 to see how Love Shows Up from the Old Testament and into the New Testament. How do we understand so many stories and lessons through the entire Bible while trying to stick to the "sacred timeline"? The answer is the big picture. If we get the big picture, we get the story the Bible is trying to tell. From Sunday's message or The Big Picture Bible Reading Plan this week in the book of Acts and James, what is impacting you the most? How has praying daily through the Psalms impacted you? Was there a word, phrase, Bible verse, or theme that impacted you?
STUDY IT.
Read Acts 13:32-39. What was the message presented to both the Jews and then the Gentiles? How is salvation achieved, through works/obeying the law or faith/belief in Jesus’ sacrifice for us?
Read Acts 13:48-52. Name 3 outcomes, either positive or opposition against, that happened in response to the Gospel (Hint. Verses 48,50,52).
Read James 1:2-4 & James 1:19-22. What are the Big Ideas that will be worked out in more detail throughout the book that are described here?
Read James 2:17-26 and compare with 1 John 1:6, 2:4, 2:9, 2:19, 3:10, 3:18, 3:23-24. How do your actions, or works, prove what you really believe, despite what you might say you believe? (Christians believe in salvation through grace and faith in Christ alone, not by works, Ephesians 2:8-9)
Read James 3:13-18. What are the 2 types of wisdom? How are they different?
SHARE IT.
Read Acts 13:2-3, 14:23. What is a situation that you desperately wanted clarity? Have you ever practiced fasting as a spiritual discipline?
Fasting is a reminder through temporary hunger, or from the absence of something, of our dependence on the Lord. Our suffering does not magically get God’s favor, but instead is a humble posture of admitting our need and reliance on Him. Try fasting 1 meal or from your phone/entertainment on a day this week. (Whatever is physically safe for you) Spend that time or around 15 minutes in prayer to the Lord going through P.R.A.Y. (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) Consider making this a weekly habit.
Read Acts 13:15-16, 38-43. How would you go about sharing the Gospel with others? Do you have an outline in your mind or available to you of how you would share the Gospel with scripture references? Do you have it memorized in case you do not have anything with you? Take a small step this week to working on a Gospel presentation or memorization this week. (Ex. Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9, John 3:16)
Read James 2:1. How have you been affected or seen others affected by favoritism? How do you root out showing favor to those who can help you get ahead or avoiding those who you perceive will only drain you or bother you?
Read James 3:10. What is an area or situation where you find it difficult to control your tongue?
FINAL THOUGHT
Read Acts 14:18-22. The people in Lystra thought Paul and Barnabas were gods (Zeus and Hermes) after Paul healed a lame man in Jesus’ Name. They were going to sacrifice and worship them, and verse 18 says Paul barely got them to stop. The next verse they took Paul out of the city and stoned him thinking he was dead. What a reversal! Paul gets up and goes back into the city to make disciples and then returns to the towns that came to convince the people in Lystra to stone him! How?! Verse 22 tells us how, and it states, “strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, ‘It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.’” They then appointed Elders in every church to shepherd them, prayed and fasted in humble dependence on God’s grace, and committed the people to the Lord “in who they had believed.” Only belief in the Kingdom of a Savior that suffered God’s wrath for you, rose again, ascended to the right hand of the Father, commissioned you for the ministry of reconciliation, and is with you till the end of the age could produce endurance to that degree. Is Christ and His Kingdom more precious to you than any other goal, comfort, relationship, and even your physical safety? By God’s grace and belief in His Kingdom hope in what is to come beyond the present sufferings. Jesus warns in Luke 9:62, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Obedience to 99% of Jesus’ command and reserving 1% for yourself is no obedience at all, and proves the Truth is not in you (1 John 2:4-5, James 2:10).
Comments