Real faith is more than words and, according to this epistle, is really measured in how we respond to various trials of life. In James chapter 5, James guides us with practical steps for our faith when we encounter severe mistreatment. James addresses how the rich were abusing the poor, but there are valuable lessons for all Christians to learn when our faith is tested.
One thing all of us have in common is we don't know what the future holds. James says, "You do not know what tomorrow will bring." In James 4:13-17, people of faith are reminded our plans must include God. Anything short of life without God's will is arrogance.
The third chapter of James is one of the most challenging passages in the Bible. Controlling the tongue is so difficult James declares, "No human being can tame the tongue." But at the end of the chapter, James gives us the tools that are from above to help with our struggle. With the help of God, a person of faith can control their tongue.
In James 1, we considered how faith responds to personal trials. James 2 teaches us how faith responds to the trials of others. In this test of faith, James forces us to come face to face with how we deal with partiality and poverty.
The book of James is a vivid expression of how real faith looks when practiced as a true servant of Jesus. In the first chapter, the common theme is how Christians should think when they are tested. Since our actions are preceded by thoughts, James tells us how to think about common trials so we can live out our faith as God would have us
How we deal with problems begins with our attitude. Any problem, including this pandemic, can be a challenge but the Bible actually show us how to approach any problem with a renewed attitude if we are a Christian. When Paul wrote Philippians he was in jail, but if you didn't know that it would be hard to detect based on his great attitude. In this lesson, we focus on five things from Phil. 4:4-9 that Paul reminds us we can do to make the best of this difficult situation.
Matthew is the first book in the N.T. for good reason. The goal of the book is to present Jesus as a continuation and fulfillment of the O.T. Matthew is a Gospel account written by a Jew, to Jews about a Jew. So it's perfectly within the focus of this book for Jesus to be presented as Messiah, Teacher and Emmanuel.
If you are a Christian, you have a story to tell. While the heart of evangelism is telling the story of Jesus, it also involves each of us who are Christians too. Paul understood this principle and used his story to help build a bridge to Jesus for others. This lesson considers three ways he did this in Acts 22:1-16.
Opportunity is the stuff evangelism is made of - how do we ensure we’re ready for it? In Colossians 4, Paul lays out some ways Christians can be ready to make the most of every opportunity to share Jesus.
Belief always comes with baggage. John’s Gospel helps us navigate those unsure waters and see all levels of belief as a starting place for something more. Scripture - John 10-12
