We continue with James 1:13 – here James tells us the sources of temptations. His main message is this: Don’t blame anyone but yourself! “Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.” (James 1:14) 

We don’t want to admit it, but we have to face the fact that our Adam nature leans towards sin and the only way out of that is to have the nature of God inside of you. You don’t automatically have that, it’s a gift, you have to humble yourself and ask God to forgive you of your sins and invite Him inside. That’s usually the stopping point for many people…they just don’t see that what they are doing is wrong – hmm…isn’t that the problem with being in the dark – you can’t see!

James 2 then gives us the good news that faith removes discrimination. Sweet! God will take you, rich or poor, no matter what color or ethnic group, no matter what belief system you have had jammed down your throat. He will forgive you and take you as His own. You may not stay rich or poor but, for sure, your “belief system” will change to His system. The truth will surely set you free. Not free to sin, but to serve God and each other in holiness. That holiness coming from God will set you up for happiness. It doesn’t work the other way around. You can seek this whole world for happiness and it will never get you holiness…only Jesus Christ can do that.

(Listen to entire sermon below.)

In the Bible, the book of James concentrates on faith and works. Both subjects have often been misunderstood, but as we go through this series, God will surely enlighten our hearts. Right up front, though, we need to understand a few principles cited in James: faith without works is dead; dead faith is worse than no faith at all; faith must work, must produce and must be visible; and lastly, verbal and mental faith is not enough, it must inspire action.

Faith is more than just “believing”. The original meaning of the word was closer to “binding” and that is what faith really is…being “bound” to Jesus Christ. Are you “bound” or just hanging around?

In James 1, we are encouraged to consider it pure joy when various trials are encountered because God has a plan and there are definite purposes for your tribulations. Endurance, perfect results, wisdom and the crown of life are all the benefits of those trials. But we must do all this in faith, without doubting or double mindedness – tough row to hoe, but absolutely essential in clinching that “binding” to Jesus. Listen in to the sermon and get some more golden nuggets from the Lord.

(Originally recorded 11/20/13.)

God’s providence is for those who will humble themselves before Him and depend upon Him at all times and in every circumstance. Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, was not perfect but he was determined to reform God’s people and turn them away from paganism and idolatry to serve the Living God. In this spiritual warfare, he also said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment.”

When Jehoshaphat came under attack by Moab and Ammon, he called for a fast, gathered Judah together to seek help from the Lord, and said, “We are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on Thee.”

The Spirit of God responded and said, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s….You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.”

Similarly, we also may not know what to do at times, but may we be quick to turn our eyes on Jesus and see deliverance and the salvation of our Mighty God! (See 2 Chronicles 19, 20)

Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the cock crowed. Peter insisted that he would never fall away nor deny the Lord, and that he was willing to die with Jesus.

Peter’s devotion and zeal for Jesus seemed to be proven true when he cut off the right ear of Malchus, one of the servants of the high priest who came to arrest Jesus. However, when Jesus was arrested and taken away, Peter followed “at a distance” and when questioned about being a follower of Jesus, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus—three times before the rooster crowed.

This account proves to all of us how vulnerable we are to the temptations of Satan to deny Christ in our daily lives in any given situation. Peter was greatly humbled through this experience, and from that time on he was never the same but was more ardent to receive and welcome the divine power of God in order to become a partaker of Jesus’ divine nature.

Be encouraged like Peter, apply all diligence, and run with a godly passion the race before you in the strength, power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit of God.

[Scripture References: Luke 22:31-34; Matthew 26:33-35; 2 Peter 1:1-11; I Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:8-16]

Listen to entire sermon by audio below.

One time I wrote in my journal, “I shall perish in the darkness of my doubt without the light of the hope You give me.” Ever feel like that? What do you do? You can flounder in despair or you can run to the presence of the Lord to fill you with strength and wisdom…your choice. But God does give us some direction…stay “right” with Him and it will go well with you.

Psalm 1 gives us a great overview of what happens to the righteous as well as the wicked…and it ain’t pretty…at least for the wicked side of things! The righteous, those who know and love God and submit to His directions, they don’t walk with the wicked; they meditate on and delight in the law of the Lord. God says they will be watered and prosperous.

The wicked on the other hand, do walk and give approval to scoffers and sinners; they don’t meditate on or delight in God’s laws. They are like chaff and are blown away, they won’t be in the assembly of the righteous and they will perish! Pretty stark, but pretty eye opening…at least for those who want to see. So, don’t go there…but stay right with God, so it won’t go wrong with you!

[Listen to entire sermon by audio below. Handout with scripture references available for viewing or printing below.]

We have all had our share of poor and foolish decisions and choices in the past. All have miserably failed and sinned in the sight of God. However, Isaiah speaks of a glorious freedom and emancipation from our sins through the redemption in the blood of Jesus Christ. He says, “'Come now, and let us reason together,'” says the Lord, 'though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.'”

Paul also said that he pressed on to lay hold of Christ, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.

Be encouraged to press onward in your daily redemption in Jesus, and don’t let the sins of the past (which could be only one minute ago) rob you of the love, joy, peace and salvation Jesus has given you this day!

[Scripture References: Romans 3:23; Isaiah 1:18-20; Philippians 3:12-13; Romans 10:9]

Listen to entire sermon by audio below.

Are you ever afraid to believe God and all He has said? It’s a faith thing…believing and being “bound” to the Lord. Someone once said that faith means believing in advance what would only make sense in reverse! I like that.

Two things keep coming up, though, which interfere with that belief and a smooth alliance with God and what He has promised. Those two problems are WORRY and STRESS. We don’t like to admit that worry and stress mean we don’t trust God…and that just reeks of arrogance! The Scriptures give us the cure for both worry and stress; so read it, live it and learn how to handle it. Here are a few:

Cure for Worry: Matthew 6:25-34, 1 Peter 5:6-7,
Cure for Stress: Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 4:8, Romans 8:6, Psalm 29:11; Isaiah 26:3

Listen to entire sermon by audio below.