Pilgrim Life: Godly Stewardship of Wealth and Time (James 5:1-12)

The speaker starts with a prayer and then talks about their experience with getting passports for a trip to Thailand. They complain about the slow process and express impatience. They reflect on the importance of patience and contentment in the face of adversity. They mention a sermon about godly stewardship and the need to learn spiritual contentment. The speaker emphasizes the danger of complaining and grumbling against God. They highlight the materialistic and egotistic nature of the world and the importance of Christian contentment. Let's bow our heads in prayer. Let's pray. Almighty Father, we pray for the gospel ministry of our churches, asking for continued conversions through your Word and Spirit. May those who are called by your saving gospel bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, their family, and even their country. Bind us in loving communion with you and one another, fostering service, unity, and peace, and grant us the knowledge of your will and even contentment in trials. We praise you for your daily provisions and thank you for your grace. We pray in the righteousness of Christ and by the power of the Spirit. Amen. Nate, sorry not Nate, it's Eli. Eli just scheduled a trip going to Thailand to attend an international robotics exhibit. So, in short, di niya sakin naman na yan. So, but I recently found out that the passport that we have, so basically, siya at saka si Nate, patabas kasi sila nagkumuha ng passport last time, that was five years ago. And then they have to renew it. So, ang ginawa na lang namin, o ginawa ko, so I accompanied them. Actually, pag daddy pala ang kasama, mas marami palang tanong sa'yo, no, pagkasama mo yung bata. Anyway, pag nanay ka rin, wala na masyadong questions. So, I was there, we were able to apply that, and the trip that was set was supposed to be November 22. So, sabi namin, sige, basta i-apply na natin, renewal, agad-agad. So, that was September 27, we went there on a Friday, nasira kami ng kotse. Then, after September 27, a week after lang, so wala pa, less than a week, less than seven days, yung passport ni Nate, ang unang lumabas. Siya, uy, mukhang magalalabas, kasi lumabas na yung kinate, e, di okay na sana kami, walang problema. So, ang ginawa ko, hintay na lang ako ng mga ilang sandali, kasi ini-expect ko yung kinate, ah, kiilay, lalabas na rin. Siguro, lumagpas ang dalawang linggo, ah, supposed to be, ah, nakalagay kasi dun sa parang pinaka-electronic ticket, is tentatively two weeks lang. So, dapat, ah, October 11, lalabas na yung passport. October 11 na, wala pa yung passport. So, restless na restless na ako. And, and with, alam nyo naman, pagkasapanganan nyo eh, so, ramdam na ramdam nyo yung pressure. Parang kayo yung pupunta ng robot doon eh, no? So, hindi naman ako ang pupunta daw. So, diba kung wala siyang passport, e, hindi siya pupunta. Pero, ah, pressure na pressure na ako. And I kept whining to Nikki, my wife. Ah, my wife is there. So, now you know who's the whiner in the house, no? So, I kept on whining, ano ba yan? Baka gobyerno talaga natin, wala ka talaga maasahan. From there, so, mula sa gobyerno hanggang sa... Ang tagal-tagal na eh, bakit di nalang kasi air 21 eh? So, nag-follow up ako eh, several times. So, I emailed, I even called. Tapos, sa DSA kahit tumawag, kasi wala naman sumasagot. Anyway, so, that's how I whine. So, I'm a whiner. So, basically. So, siguro gabi-gabi na lang. From October 12 until, actually that was October 17 doon ako ako yung passport. So, that was a days of whining. Kailangan na naman ako ng asawa ko. So, hindi ko siya that I'm a whiner. But then, eventually, what she did was, kung ganto na lang, sabi niya, email mo si XYZ, may nakita ako sa research ko sa website, or tawagan mo para malaman natin kung ano yung status ng passport. Hindi, email ko ni, pinawagan ko na lahat, ginawa ko na. Hindi, sige, ito yung screenshot niya, and then nandala niya. True enough, kinabukasan, nag-email back yung taga DFA. Oo, yung passport mo, or passport ng anak mo, nasa DFA-Asiana na, puntahan mo doon sa Double Dragon, kesa ipadala pa sa'yo ng Air 21. So, dali-dali ako nagpunta sa Air 21, nakakain pa ako ng sityuan malatang. Anyway, that's on the side. I was so happy. But then, I was so glad na rin, kasi prior to eating the lunch there, I got the passport. Andal lang pala the whole time. Andal lang the whole time. I think there was an issue probably, in the way they're coordinating with the courier. But andal lang the entire time. And I noticed how impatient I have become. Just for the days na... Kasi, it's one thing na sabihin mo sa akin, ang deadline niyo si ganito, tama? Sinabi kasi, October 11. And okay lang, naghintay ako. Naghintay ako. Pero after October 11, wala na. That's it for me. So, the patience ran out. So, I have to get the passport, whatever happens. So, actually, inisip ko na rin, baka hindi kami matuloy. Sayang. The plan was to be with the family, tama eh. Parang ganun. So, anyway, I'm so impatient. I realized that when things do not go the way we planned it, we always tend to complain and to grumble about it. And there's a good quote from Philip Graham Ryken. And he said, that our own complaints are not caused by our outward circumstances. Which I believe. Since recorded to, I cannot say na incompetent yung nangyari. Competence yung nangyari. But it is. So, but still, it tells us something not just about the outward circumstances. Kasi those are the things that happen. Even if you're in a first world country, second world country, developing country, third world country. Doesn't matter. But more than that, for Christians, for us believers, they rather reveal to us the inward conditions of all our hearts. That's what it does. Why? Because to complain actually means that we are doubting the goodness of God's providence. And to even to lose patience means that we assume that we can do better than God himself. And that's what we are going to talk about this Thursday morning. Last Thursday morning, sorry, not last, not last, not last, not last, I think. Anyway, that was the previous preaching that I had on this topic. We are pilgrims living as godly stewards of wealth and time. So we're done with the first point. The first point is about godly stewardship of the wealth. And it's there already in the podcast. If you haven't heard it, I recommend that you just listen to it while you're in the car or whatever. At least it's in the podcast already. That was the first point, sharing and not wasting during prosperity. So what happens to us when we are prosperous? The key thing, the P there is we have to live prudently. It's about prudence. And it's been a long time. We haven't reviewed it for a long time. It's been done. Okay, so let's move forward. So the next thing is, the second point is, then how about when we are experiencing not prosperity but adversity? So what would be the proper response? What would James want us to do? Not just hear the word but do the word. And he is the one exhorting us saying that we should be the one waiting and not complaining during adversity. There's one doctrine that I want us to speak on as we go through the text later on. The overall view of the doctrine is this. Sinclair Ferguson wrote, Spiritual contentment is learned. It is never natural. That's a good point. It's been a long time since I absorbed that in my life. Actually, I learned about that when I was already on the rocks. That's a job prior to joining Sky Cable. That was 12 years ago. I was struggling with how my work vocation will come out to be. But anyway, so this part where Sinclair Ferguson wrote, Spiritual contentment is learned. It's never natural. It occurred to me as if it is more than knowing God is providential, but rather as we go through life, specifically adversity, we have to learn providence. We have to learn it. We have to go through with it. He picked it up by comparing two verses. I'm sure you know these two. Paul wrote, We know that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. Paul said, we know. Gnosis. So it is clear. Paul is saying that we know already from what God has revealed in His word, we know that God will work it out. Correct? But he also wrote when he was already in prison, Philippians 4, 11-13, he said that we must confess with him that I have learned that in every situation I am to be content. You see the difference between the two? It's already at the latter days of his life. After prison, we have some idea. He may not, based on what the scholars are saying, he may have gotten out of prison, but he may have died going to, from what I understand in Spain, going down, going down south, west side, west south. So it seems that he did not survive. But anyway, even if let's say he survived, what he's saying here, because I'm already in Romans and then Philippians, the latter days of his life, he's saying that even though we know that God is providential, that God is good and wise, we still need to learn it, that we need to learn contentment. Contentment, we can know about it, but we have to learn about it. The difference between learning and knowing. Nothing comes easy in this Christian life. We know that. We must deny ourselves, lead watchful and prayerful lives, but at the same time, we must avoid, at all costs, counting on our privileged position as something that we can use to complain against God when things do not go our way or even meet our expectations. Exodus 17 was mentioned, was read earlier, precisely to that point. The problem of Israel at that time, is not that they just simply complained, no, they grumbled against God. And what is critical there, is that we have to understand that their grumbling is not just simply complaining about their circumstances. What they are grumbling about is that they are telling that God is actually not there for their good. They are not unbelievers. They are not pagans. They are the chosen people of God and yet they are complaining. They have used their privileged position, the privileged position of their calling and vocation as the chosen people of God, and they use that to complain against God for not being able to meet their expectations the way they want it to be. The problem is that we all live in a highly materialistic and egotistic world today. And Christian contentment is a doctrine that we all need to hear and we need to adhere to. As Christian pilgrims of this world, we know our journey towards the celestial city is long and hard, but we have to learn to understand providence and to live in contentment. The doctrine of providence is clearly written in article 13 of the Belgian Confession. If you have it, or you can Google it with me, it says there clearly that we believe that this good God, this good God, after He had created all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune, but leads, governs them according to His holy will in such a way, and this is the point, nothing happens in this world without His orderly arrangement. Thus, nothing happens by chance. They all come from God's providential hand. So this Lord's Day morning, I would like to summarize by saying that as godly stewards of our time here on earth, the wealth, prudence, the time, because we have a specific time frame of our lives, the moment we get converted and then we die or we meet with the Lord in His second coming. But during that time, our godly stewards of this time, James urges us patience in adversity, trusting in God's providence between Christ's first and second coming, warning us against, and this is an ungodly use of time, time spent in grumbling, which deflects our discontent with God's will. Instead, we are encouraged to live in humility and truthfulness, discouraging presumptuous oath-taking. How many oath-taking? I have to spend some time on it, but that's at the end. Are you ready to understand God's word? So let us read. So, we are at 1 to 6, chapter 5, so we are about to end. Let's go to verse 7. Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rain. Now, verse 7 instructs us to remain patient when adversity comes. Following the previous exhortation from the previous sermon point, we all, as believers, must live in the light of the Lord's return. And given that, we know it's already, but not yet. I already explained it's a semi-kind of eschatological understanding, that yes, we are already, meaning we are spiritually regenerate, as converts, but there is not yet, we are still living in this world. So, while we are already in that state of a privileged position, our calling is not to use that privileged position, but rather use it, not for ourselves, but for others. We already made that point, so let's not go back to it. But the point here is that we are already living in that area, or in that realm, or in that stage, so we must remain steadfast, living as the one who is truly blessed, even though circumstances appear otherwise. The grumbling, the sin of discontent, I would say, does not come when you know that you are already in a lowered position. Who is here who has no money and is still growing? What do you call that? I'm sorry, I don't know. What do you call that? Anyway, you don't have money, you're still growing, it doesn't make sense. You're not, as they say, it's okay with me that you're not beautiful, you're not handsome, as long as you're not smart. Something like that. So, anyway, we have different things of understanding it, but the problem there is if you're not in a privileged position, right? You're right, you just agree with the beauty of your... Anyway, something like that. Then that would be relatable because you know for a fact that it is true in this world. Why? Because that's the point. If you're in a privileged position, you should not let your privileged position be something that you would have to give up. Right? It's not something that is natural. So that's why in verse 8, James emphasizes for us the importance of patience by using a farming metaphor. So let's go here. So let's go here in the farming metaphor. He points out how a bountiful harvest is bookended by early and latter rains. So between the period of planting and harvesting, God provides the necessary condition to guarantee the fruit of our labors. Paul is echoing the same sentiment when he reminded us with the congregation in Philippi saying that he who began a good work with you will be faithful to continue until the day of Christ. So James instructs us to remain patient between the first and second coming of Christ. Okay, now, you ask me, Pastor, what would that mean for me to be patient between two comings? So like I said earlier, we always have a problem thinking, and this is the knowledge part, that we need to learn as we go through incontentment when we go through different circumstances. The problem is, our privileged positions are not converted. Why? Because we have experienced the earlier reign. We have experienced the earlier reign. Who here was converted? That what happens in the conversion is like nothing is special. Is there anyone? Well, there are people who get converted naturally inside the churches, but there are people who are converted drastically. Right? Coming out from different backgrounds, sinful families, etc., etc. However, one thing is common. The conversion has to be a full 180 degree turn. Therefore, there will be a great difference in the life of that person prior to his conversion, and then after his conversion. It can't be nothing. Right? Not unless you believe that you can just post into heaven by just simply, you know, posting along. Right? We can't just do it together. It can't be that. It doesn't happen that way. By the fact that it is a conversion, there's a drastic change that has happened. And given that, there is some sense that we have to understand none of those things would be possible without God extraordinarily, supernaturally, giving you everything that you need for all the providences, for God's hand to be on all the minute details so that we can be converted. I always think about people saying, you know, in my whole family, I'm a black sheep. But still, I don't understand why it is me who is here in this church right now. I would say, you know, our eldest is kinder. Actually, he's the most handsome in the family. He's the favorite of my mother and father. He's really handsome. But that's how things are. But then, it comes to privileged positions. I think, when my brother was baptized, he was in the front. And I don't feel that I have a privileged position. And yet, you would say to me, and I would tell you, then why are you here? Why are you in this church? Why are you more spiritually going forward compared to everyone? And there's only one explanation to it. Because God was providential to your conversion. God was providential to your conversion. So sometimes, we just don't notice it, but it comes up in our minds. Because, like for any farming metaphor, I'm not a farmer, so I don't understand that. What I understand is what is said here. The point of this is, there are earlier and latter gains. But in between, what happens? There will be pests. There will be things that need cultivating. It could be that because of the strong rain, there could be a typhoon. So there could be a deluge. But then one thing is for sure, there are earlier and later gains. But the problem is always in between. The problem will always be what happens in between. And circumstances change. Then we insist on our privileged position because we already experienced it in our redemption. And that's the problem. That's where complaining and grumbling comes. You can't anymore. Your feet are too close to the sky. You can't go down to the ground anymore. It's forbidden. It's forbidden. And that's the problem. Because now that we are, have experienced the earlier gains, we are expecting that every day would be just like that. But sadly, and I have to break it to you, that's not the Christian life. It's more like farming. There's a life in between. So what will happen in that between? Then there goes the learning for contentment. You know that God will work it out. You know for a fact. Personally speaking, I've been praying. I know. And I would like to go to Heaven with Christ. It's fun, right? It's a beautiful thought. But how will I get there? I don't know. It might be death, painful. I don't know. But then I know for a fact that He will work it out. But I still need to learn it along the way and learn it with contentment. Okay? Do you understand? The latter rain will come later. We're not there yet. So next. But there is, I think, a question that would have to be answered because the question still remains. How can we exercise such patience whenever we go through various trials? So what is then the recommendation, not the recommendation, but actually the exhortation of James? How can we then live life in our early latter rains? How can we have patience? Okay. So I think James clearly teaches us when he exhorted us to establish our hearts in the Lord. So you can read that in verse 8. So you also be patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand. But what does it mean? What does it mean that we establish our hearts in the Lord? Well, simply put, the key thing to understand is we have to place our unrelenting What is unrelenting? It's a firm conviction. It's unrelenting. It cannot be broken by anyone. It's unrelenting. It's persistent. Okay? It must be an unrelenting resolve that we must trust God's providence by living in contentment in every circumstance. It's a heart problem kasi. And the resolution or the resolve is what we are being exhorted to. We must be able to understand in our mind, in our heart, in our lives that regardless of circumstances God will always be good and wise in His providence. Now, na-mention ko na kanina. There is one area in providence that we all need to settle in our hearts. The reason why from time to time nakanasan ko ito kasi lumaki ako sa church. Lumaki ako sa church and I was young, at a young age, exposed to ministry. And because of that, I always wanted the high of ministry. You know, that feeling na wala makakagalaw sa akin kasi na hawakan ko na ang langit dahil sa sobrang dami kong ginawa noong taon na iyon. Ako na nag-lead ng praise and worship. Ako pa nag-Bible study sa Sunday school. Ako pa ang nag-Bible study every weekend. Lakas na ito. So, the end of the year, tapos. Okay? Walang masasabi sa akin kung sino man, diba? Walang makakapag- Ay, ayun ba'y anak ni pastor? Ay, ano ba naman yan, anak ng pastor? Hindi, hindi, hindi gagawain. So, has to be that way. However, when I when I realized, what I realized then is that the problem there is I based my understanding of the settlement of my heart with regard to God's grace, my salvation, every time I work hard for it. Every time I work hard for it. And that's the problem. Kapag hindi ka na nag-work hard for it, so ano mangyayari? Yung heart mo will go down as well. Parang tsokolate lang po yan. Mga anak ko, diba? Pag pinakain mo ng tsokolate, hanggang class, hanggang pagkatapos na sugar rush, down naman. Down talaga. That's it. That's how I experienced my life. That's how I experienced my conversion. I grew up in a very Arminianistic church. The preaching is basically saying is that, basta lang masipag sa paglilingkod, sigurado ka sa kaligtasan mo. I think what, I know what they mean now, but it did not mean well when I was growing up. Okay? Because I misunderstood it. It's my fault. I have no one to blame for it. But, again, what is being said is not clear. So that's why, when I have become a believer, when I've become converted to faith, late in the game, Actually, kung hindi po ako na-converted, po ako magpapastur. Kasi pa isa po yun sa pinagre-rebelde ko sa magulang ko. Kasi kung sinasabi nilang kailangan lahat ng mga anak nila pastur, dahil si daddy pastur, at ba, hindi ako magpapastur, mahala kayo dyan. Diba? Pero I got converted. I became a pastor. And that resolve has something to do with whether or not you can answer this question to me. The question is, are you a believer of Christ or not? That's a very simple question. You can ask that in a church. It's legit. But everyone will be able to have a credible answer to it. When we say credible, professional, credibly, diba? We have to say, okay, does the person understand? So that's credible professional. And that's what we are asking you right now. Do you truly believe you're converted? Have you really understood that Christ died for your sin, that you are in need for a favor, that you are a sinner, that Christ alone offered that perfect sacrifice for you? That is conversion. Okay, that's conversion. That's your earlier reign. Hold on to that. However, you will continue in life, right? Do you know how I wish after the earlier reign that I die? But that's not provident, right? That would be grumbling against God. That's wrong, right? But I didn't die. I'm still alive. Actually, I had a wife at that time. I had three children. That's it. So, that didn't happen. This is a second question that we have to say, Oh yes, Pastor, I'm a believer. So this is the second question that would be open up to you. But actually, this question will now undermine the first one. Because, when you ask yourself, Then, why am I suffering this way? You've already undermined your first question. Your answer to the first question. Because it reveals to us, it reveals to you, that you're not really a believer. I'll just repeat it. First question, am I a believer? You said yes. But then you ask, why am I suffering this way? Then it goes to show, you have to examine the first question. Right? You have to examine the first question. And that's the potency of suffering. Suffering is given to us in such a way that we'll be able to establish in our hearts whether or not we truly believe. Whether or not we are truly believers. Because one thing that I have understood from learning it from Revelation, the book of Job, that suffering, suffering, every time we suffer, it is not solely a consequence of sin. Newsflash. I'll repeat it. There are things that you suffer for as a consequence of sin. Do you understand? Right. You got married early. What do you expect? You didn't study well. What do you expect? Those are the things that sometimes, when you're in a counseling session, can you... So what do you expect? You put that in. I don't think that would qualify as an answer to you that I won't offend you. Anyway, you put that in. But what I learned from Job is not everything that I suffer has direct line as a consequence to the sins that I have done. Because Job suffered even without sinning. Directly, that would make him think that he deserves all the suffering that he is suffering. And that's why the wisdom of Job stands. Suffering is not solely a consequence of sin but also part of God's plan. Why? Because it is God who has ordained that suffering will precede glory. Meaning, suffering first then glory after. And if you're going to ask me, Pastor, how come suffering then glory? I can't answer you. I already said the statement. The statement, what the Bible clearly says, God has ordained this to all of us including Christ. Nothing to do with sin yet. We're still talking about the sovereign plan, the sovereign grace of God. We're not talking about your conversion. We're not talking whether or not you're a believer. Regardless of that, suffering will always be preceding your glory. And that is the point there. Why? Because His Son endured humiliation before entering in its glory. It's always a hypothetical question that has to be asked. Can Jesus come on earth without Christmas happening? It's true! Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, right? Judgment right away. It's like it's already over. 2000 years, it will still wait. It's long. By that time, it's already firing, it's already hell and brimstone, right? The world will be over. Can He do that? The question is, can He? If you say yes, He can. Why not? But did He do that? No, He did not. Why? Because He had to demonstrate long-suffering. He had to demonstrate grace, love, and patience. And by doing so, it must be suffering first, humiliation first, then glory. And as servants of Christ, and we are not greater than our masters, then we too receive the gifts of grace from God. We'll experience suffering before entering eternal glory. You know, if there's one thing that the prosperity gospelers, gospel peddlers had got right. They said, in a good, in a day, a broken clock tells you a right time. So, I think the prosperity gospel peddlers were right in assuming that Christians deserve all the richness of heaven. Pag tumigil po ako doon, prosperity na po tayo. Yay! Yayama na tayo na ito. Okay. So, and that's right. I would say that statement itself, Christians deserve all the richness of heaven. I would say amen to that. But the problem is that their error is not that they expected riches. The problem, or their fault in their thinking, is that they want it now. Patience is disregarded. Tama? Without patience, you want it now. And that is an over-realized eschatology. Pastora, ano po yun? Yun na yun. Over-realized. Na over-realized mo yung eschatology. You want it now. Hindi pwede siya, my Lord. Hindi pwede. Gusto ko now. And that's the problem. It's an over-realized eschatology. That's why brothers and sisters in Christ, Christ is our treasure. Yes. And as we wait for Him now, we know that our waiting will not be in vain. There will be a latter reign. Okay. Ang problem kasi, with all of us right now in this latter days, it's not that we did not. The problem is not that we know that Christ will come back again. Balitin ko lang ha, para malinaw. Hindi natin problema to think na babalik ang ating Panginoon. Why? Because ang dami nagsasabi na babalik ang Panginoon. Okay? Tama ba? Nabalita niyo ba? Babalik ang Panginoon? Okay. So, hindi yun yung problema natin. Hindi yun yung problema natin as Christians today. Problema natin is, dumating na ba talaga siya? Nung una. That's why it's hard to trust Christ's atoning word. Because there's also a looming question. Is it really true that He really paid for all my sins? Really, that's it? Nothing to do now? Yun. So yung first reign ang problema. Yung early reign. Yung conversion. That's why you have to establish your heart now. There's really no point of moving forward to sanctification if you're not been converted in the first place. Because there's no sanctification going to happen without you being justified first. So you have to know. But Sir, can I really know if I'm elect? Yes! Can you know it for other persons? No! But can I know it for myself? Yes! And you are commanded to do so. You must make your election sure, sabi ni Peter. Okay. Yeah. You have to. That's a command from the Apostle himself. So that is why you have to establish your heart. You have to make sure that you understand that you've already believed. Then, whatever happens in every circumstances that you will face, since your conversion until your death, then glory, you know that everything will always be for your good. Sabi ni Paul, therefore my brothers, be steadfast, immovable. Yun yung point nun. Establish kasi is immovable. Ano yung immovable? Yung unrelenting, unresolved, that you will always have a firm conviction that I know that what is your greatest comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own. That I am in Christ, life or death. Tama? And that's the core of the conviction that we're talking about here. Because we know that there will always be a bounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. Which is why if that is the case, that's a positive exhortation. So, the encouragement and sorry, the warning now comes into us. So verse 9, so let's continue. Now verse 9 warned us against grumbling Sorry, pwede naman. Warns against grumbling against one another. Hindi maganda no. Against grumbling to one another na lang. Ulitin ko po. Yung grumbling dito is not grumbling to God. Kasi sinabi grumbling to one another. But I already made a point that every time you do anything horizontally to anyone, is directly, again, sinning vertically to God. Okay? So, even if let's say this is grumbling to one another, diba? It's still grumbling to God. Ano yung mga basic things that we grumble against God with regard to you know, to one another? Lord, hindi ko ba maintindihan bakit si mami ang naging nanay ko? Kasi hindi siya believer. Si daddy ko, ewan ko ba? Ano ba nangyari doon? Daddy ko never become a breadwinner in my family. And you're grumbling to God about that person and let me ask you, who put you there and gave you those persons? Then you're not just grumbling about these people. You're grumbling against God. Tama? You're grumbling dun sa mga bagay na meron ka. So you see, that's double standard, eh. Nagpapasalamat ka sa Diyos because of all the things that happen in your life. Tama? And yet, the exact thing that God has done for you, inire-reklamo mo. Tama? Because hindi naman, may mga bagay na gusto ka, na hindi naman nangyari at ayaw mo sa buhay mo. That's why, inis na inis ka pa rin sa buhay mo hanggang ngayon. Yung establishment of the heart, alam nyo po, sa tagal sa pag-ihipas ko po kasi, nakakakilala po kayo ng mga tao, huwag po ang tao be satisfied. Kahit nyo po sandyan dala, magre-reklamo at magre-reklamo lang po siya, eh. Okay? Kung pwede lang po talaga mag-recommend nang magre... Ay, ito po si member A. Sige po. Wala pong problema. Free po. Free. Kung pwede lang po magpadala ng mga listahan, eh. I would have, diba? Sorry, hindi po akong pastor ng church na to. Sinasabi ko lang, hypothetically, diba? Thinking through things. I've been a pastor for 7 years in a church that is a Reformed congregation. It doesn't change much. Reformed, Evangelical, even Pentecostal, although I haven't had experience, eh. Just saying, people still grumble regardless of whether or not they're Reformed believers. And that's the reason why... Uy, tapos na? Meh. Oh, di ba natasa ako? Promise. Mga 10 minutes. Uy, Lord willing. Okay, so... Ah, saan na ako? Yung tuloy na wala ako. Grabbing the one another. At minsan hiniisip nga natin na yun nga, okay? So, ang problem is, as Filipinos, we often have a reputation that we are the least known to complain about our circumstances. Alam niyo po ba yan? Kaya, kaya po ganito ang Pilipinas, kasi hindi po kayo nagreklamo, okay? We are known to be being matiisin. Ang akala natin, patience is about being matiisin. The problem there is, as Filipinos, sumasabog po tayo. Okay? Kaya kung may EDSA 1, at hindi lang natapos. 2, 3, 4, 5. Lahat na lang ng EDSA, ginawa na. Because it has the same result, eh. We still sin in our hearts. Instead of just personal issues in life, sometimes we get overwhelmed, everybody gets involved, then Filipinos are drama magnets. Bakit po ba maraming nanonood sa Senate hearing? Hello, kasi drama po yun, eh. Okay? All the drama, not much substance. Because we tend to tolerate excessive emotional outbursts. Okay? And that's true. We want a quiet life. Sabi natin, di. Gusto ko po, tahimik ang buhay. I don't think so. Gusto mo, gulo actually. The truth is, we sometimes want chaos. Why? Because we're bored. We're just simply bored. Boring po itong church na to. Kaya kung gusto natin, entertainers, comedians, and somehow, di ba, at least alleviate your some sense of boredness pagka Lord's Day morning. Para gising-gising konti, di ba? That's the problem. The culture of emotional volatility comes into our church communities. We tend to dismiss them as simply part of culture, but as believers, mga magulang kapatid, it's what I want to leave with you. We need to understand that in relation to God and neighbors, it is a sin. To grumble to others is to complain against God's providence. And to complain about God is to sin against Him. Sorry, can I not complain about things in my life? You complain to God. You have to pray, di ba? That's what prayer is for. But you complain to others about God? No. We have to understand that to complain about God is also to sin against Him, about God. Okay? Kaya pong pag minsan, bagay pong minamaliit yung kusino-sino pong mga kamag-anak nila, hindi po ako agreeable. Regardless kung mananapala tayo pa po yun o hindi. Because that is, again, tinatapakan po natin yung providencia ng Diyos. Now to balance this out, I want us to understand that we must not tolerate any forms of mistreatment. Okay? I'm not saying, sisisin na lang natin ito kahit mamatay na ako, no? Hindi po. Foolish po yun. We must correct and necessarily report if needed to. Now coming down to 10 to 11, instead we are now shifted our attention to the examples of being patient while suffering. James mentioned to us the prophets and specifically Job. Now the prophets often referred to as covenant lawyers and are fundamentally perceived as doomsday preachers. However, we have learned from Jonah and we are doing a series on this, that God's judgment is always accompanied by His tender mercy. That penitent subjects were being reprieved, tama? And if there would be death sentences, it would be suspended. God's prophets have learned to be patient as He is. And that's the story of actually Jonah. Now Job may not be tagged as a prophet, but it is a book about him that was included in the first five wisdom books in Scripture. Thus we can conclude that the book itself is prophetic. Now in that sense we know that it points to Christ. There is much wisdom to learn from the story of Job. If we have time, then we can go through with it, but we don't have the time here. So it's sufficient for now to say that in everything that happened in his life, we can conclude, in the grand scheme of providence, God is indeed full of compassion and mercy to God's people. And this was what we can learn from the providence of God. Now, I know it ended in verse 12, and there's a question from Migs last week about that. Again, we're not talking about here oath-taking in the courts of law. We must always tell the truth, nothing but the truth, about everything we witnessed from past events. We must never presume, and this is the issue of oath-taking. It's not about telling the truth in the court of law. But what we are actually being instructed to do is we must never, must presume that we can guarantee anyone's future by assuming a privileged position towards God and over others. We are called to exercise prudence in our speech. And this is how we walk our talk, that instead of complaining, instead of oath-taking, we simply present our petitions before God and humbly submit to His will. I'm sorry, is it presumptuous for me to say that when the day comes? Yes, it is. Okay, so complaining fundamentally expresses doubt in God's goodness and wisdom and ultimately it accuses God of wrongdoing and it shifts blame to Him. And this is an act of rebellion rooted in unbelief. It is a willful rather than ignorant act. It accuses God of tempting one to sin and seeks to cover disbelief by finding fault in Him. Such attitudes deserve God's wrath because they constitute prideful disobedience. Grumbling against God's providence, using it as an excuse for not obeying His revealed will or submitting to His wisdom is ultimately an accusation against God Himself, making Him out to be a moral monster. It's like saying, God made me this way so I sinned, God left me in this condition so it left me no choice but to sin. This is not a godly use of our limited time here on earth. So let us stop wasting our time. Let's stop wasting our time with grumbling. Let's not spend our time complaining. In a church setting, much can be said. Much can be said. Do you know that you bring problems to the church? Do you know that? You bring problems to the church. And there's much to be said about it. But there's one thing that you have to learn about church life, community life. One thing that we cannot do is complain about God. Second, what we cannot do is influence others to complain about Him as well. Okay? And this is a godly stewardship of our time here on earth. Therefore, Christians, let us not harden our hearts when we obey and hear His voice to the Word. Instead, let us approach Him, what? With prayerful thanksgiving, with praise and humility and contentment. Next Lord's Day, Lord willing, that would be the topic. Matatapos ako sa James 5. And the topic is praying. Okay? Praying sincerely for His sustaining grace and trusting that He works all things for our good. Amen.