Blog

No one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone…(James 1:13)   “The devil made me do it!” Decades ago, comedian Flip Wilson started a national craze with this line. It provided a hilarious excuse for any action, and while everyone knew it was a…
Read more

Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea… their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. (James 1:6-8)   Traitor. It’s an ugly word in every language, while loyalty is valued in every culture. A traitor…
Read more

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. (James 1:5)   If only we knew what to do: Should I buy that house? Should I take that job? Is this the person I should marry? Some people turn to fortune tellers,…
Read more

…knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (James 1:3)   What is the purpose of a test? Tests don’t teach us the material, they only show us what we don’t know. An algebra test reveals what you don’t know about algebra. A science test reveals what you need to study in science.  A…
Read more

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy…  (James 1:2)   “Troubles” is a generic word that doesn’t adequately describe some of the garbage we go through. It’s easy to congratulate ourselves when we manage not to lose our cool over the waiter getting our order wrong or having…
Read more

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ… (James 1:1) Before we can appreciate this verse, we must recognize the identity of the author. James was the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother! Mary: “Who left this bread out? Of course it wasn’t…
Read more

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14   Keith pocketed his knife and kicked at the curled wood shavings at his feet. “You know, I feel like those pieces right there sometimes,” he said. “Work, work, work and it all ends up…
Read more

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31   Rance was determined to make his fortune by the time he was 40 so he could spend the rest of his life enjoying it. Steve took the opposite approach and spent every penny…
Read more

— Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered.  Proverbs 22:24   “I have a short fuse. That’s just how I am.” Some people are so comfortable with their anger, they’ve elevated it to a virtue. “Because I’m so incredibly special,” they’re actually saying, “I have a right…
Read more

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15   A garden. That’s all it was. Notice that the Lord did not say, “I created a planet with 57 billion square feet of stuff—dinosaurs, whales, volcanoes, and forests, and it’s…
Read more