James: Pt 7 (3:13-18)
In this part we examine James 3:13-18 with another searing pastoral challenge from James that has powerful application for us today as well. James continues to press in toward the source of our destructive speech patterns, and the source lies in our mind and heart. James establishes that there are two sources for wisdom, one is from above (God) and the other from below (worldly/demonic). Once again James isn’t coaching us in behaviour management, he is challenging us to examine the source that feeds our heart and our need to cultivate the soil of our heart so that we can plant the right kind of seed there.
James: Pt 6 (3:1-12)
This is a hard-hitting passage that not only examines the speech patterns that are so destructive but also the source. James is calling his listeners (and us) to not only focus on being disciplined with what comes out of our mouth but also to understand that our internal self-talk, patterns of reasoning, and inner conversations are precisely the place where the problem lies. It isn’t just about what you say, it is about what you think and say internally.
James: Pt 5 (2:14-26)
James is pastoring his fellow Jewish believers who have been driven all over the Roman Empire because of persecution and one of the pastoral issues that James confronts in chapter 2 is the preferential treatment of some over others, specifically those who have wealth and influence and cultural cache.
James: Pt 4 (2:1-13)
James is pastoring his fellow Jewish believers who have been driven all over the Roman Empire because of persecution and one of the pastoral issues that James confronts in chapter 2 is the preferential treatment of some over others, specifically those who have wealth and influence and cultural cache.
James: Pt 2 (1:12-21)
How do we process the trials and testing of life? Does God have a hand in testing us, what about temptation? If God does test us, why does he do it, what is he trying to accomplish? These are some of the questions that James might have been receiving from his own friends and community while they experienced persecution and injustice. So how does James respond and what can we learn from him today?
James: Pt 1b (1:1-11)
Part one (b) of our study through the book of James. In this episode we talk about the cultural context of the world around James and what that meant for those who were experiencing trouble, trial and persecution from within and without. James gives us the purpose for trials and and how to pray through them.
James: Pt 1a (1:1-11)
Part one (a) of our study through the book of James. In this episode we talk about the cultural context of the world around James and what that meant for those who were experiencing trouble, trial and persecution from within and without. James gives us the purpose for trials and and how to pray through them.
An Intentional Life: Pt 5
One of the essentials to an intentional life is knowing the voice of the Holy Spirit and being willing to obey and depend on his gifting and power. We are very familiar with the voices of our own desire and the desires of culture around us, but are we familiar with the voice of the Holy Spirit? Are we following his intentionality for our lives or the intentionality of the world, our flesh or the Devil.
An Intentional Life: Pt 4
There were three things that Jesus did with consistency in his life that were profoundly intentional. These things were how Jesus was discipled and how he discipled others. 1) He submitted his life to scripture. 2) He engaged in daily spiritual practices (disciplines). 3) He depended on the Holy Spirit’s gifting and power. If we are going to be formed into the image of Jesus for the sake of the world around us we need to be intentional as well. In this fourth week of the series pastor Andrew will talk about how we can be shaped by scripture and how we can engage with scripture in meaningful ways in our life.