#storychanging
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.… (James 2:1) The roped-off section at the front left no room for Mellie and her kids. They’d visited this church last week, but apparently special guests were coming today. She ushered the kids to the overflow room as a…
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Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27) “Just gimme the list,” we say. “Living the Christian life would be easier if we had a list we could check off.”…
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If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself… (James 1:26) There James goes again with another way we are fooling ourselves. This one is even more painful. Now he’s saying that our true heart condition is revealed by what comes out of our mouths. Uh-oh! Since the…
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When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. (Proverbs 29:18) That verse has never been more relevant than in 21st century America. If Satan and his henchmen took on flesh and wore matching jerseys, most of the world would eagerly sign up for the team.…
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But if you… do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. (James 1:25) Drops of sweat dotted the garage floor as Chet pounded furiously on the stubborn nail. Despite his efforts and a few choice words, the nail refused to sink more than a…
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But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22) Shayna loved going to church, mostly because of the music. She was the first to sign up for every women’s conference, had an entire library of Joyce Myer books and at least fourteen Bibles scattered around her house. She considered herself…
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So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts… (James 1:21) Now James has taken the gloves off. He’s about to get more real than we feel comfortable with. It would be nice if he was addressing bank robbers in prison…
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For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. (James 1:23-24) Ever see somebody that looks like they got dressed in the dark? Mismatched shoes, hair askew, coat doesn’t go with the pants.…
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…the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:20) “I had to blow up at my kids. It’s the only way they will listen!” “My wife won’t do what I say until I yell at her!” “I was so mad about that last election I’ve been letting everybody know it.”…
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Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry… (James 1:19) Read that verse again. Notice there are two “slows” and one “quick.” Now, rewrite it so that better describes you. Are your “quicks” and “slows” in the same place? Probably not. We’re usually quick to speak and become…
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