We know patience is a virtue, but we still struggle. When the pressures of life increase we can easily become impatient. James points our attention to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. With our eyes on him, we can patiently endure, trusting in his character.
What place do riches and wealth have in the lives of believers? In a "wealthy" society like ours, how do we fight the temptations of riches? James reminds us to keep our eyes on the coming Judge!
James has been drawing our attention to a sovereign God - the judge of the universe. So, how does he fit in with our planning? In James 4:13-17 we see how important it is that we live by God's will.
We have all said things we regret. We have all hurt others with our words. We know it is wrong, and that we should avoid it, yet it still happens. It is still a temptation. However, in the family of God it should not be so!
Where do conflicts come from? Is it just that we said the wrong words? Is it simply selfishness? Our words reveal our hearts, and our hearts are desperately wicked. James cuts to the heart of conflict and points us to God's grace, laying out a clear path to return to God.
We all desire to be wise and make wise decisions. James explains the two sources of wisdom and how we can know by which wisdom we are living. We should live peacefully by the wisdom from God above.
Communication is a challenge in just about every relationship in life! Christianity is no exception. It is crucial that Christians learn to control their tongues.
James makes the case that genuine "living" faith will be seen in works. The two are inseparable. A person's actions inevitably display what they believe, so show your real faith by obeying God.
James points out that tendencies toward favoritism are present in all of our hearts - and that's not ok. Favoritism has no place in the church and does not fit with true faith in Christ. Learn from James why it is wrong and how to remove it from your life.
James explains that we can participate in the maturing process as we listen to, learn, and live the Word! This passage helps us learn to be doers and not just hearers only.
When trials hit, we also get hit with temptation. We want to meet our desires as quickly as possible and we have two options - we can turn to God and His gifts for help, or we can turn to sinful things. Learn from the Word how to remain steadfast and follow God’s way during these times.
Come see the God Who helps us perfectly through trials and improves our eternal condition through them. Not even one millisecond of a trial is wasted. Every bit of it is used to mature us and do us good - now and forever!
In Psalm 37, David instructs us to trust the Lord, rather than fretting, becoming envious, or even becoming angry. As He instructs us to trust the Lord, he turns our attention to the future, when all things will be set right
Life without God is darkness, and it leads to death. Life with God is light, and it leads us to abundant satisfaction and pleasure! Psalm 36 magnifies the light of God's love, and invites us to experience the pleasure of His love by trusting Him.
David gives us a beautiful example of prayer in the midst of hatred. Lament is a good word for this prayer in Psalm 35. David asks God to be his defender - his avenger through his experience of evil hatred.
Psalm 34 is an invitation to renew our trust in the Lord. David experienced God's help and invites the reader to worship the Lord, to trust the Lord, and to walk in His ways.
Psalm 33 calls us to rejoice in the Lord. He alone deserves praise, trust, worship and glory - and He alone can give joy, peace, security and deliverance.
We often sin against our Holy God. The question is: What is the proper response after we have sinned? We have one of two options: We either hide our sin, or we confess it to God receiving His blessed forgiveness.
When we go through hard times - grief, pain, mistreatment - it is extremely difficult to trust the Lord. We know we should, but how do we move toward trust in those difficult times? We learn from David's example in Psalm 31 how to put our trust in the Lord.
In this present life we can experience weeping and mourning - sometimes for extended periods of time. However, we have a God Who turns our weeping into joy and our mourning into gladness. He is a God of restoration. In Psalm 30, David praises God for restoring him!