Posts with the category “articles”

James knows how easily we confuse trials with temptations. The two often come close in our experience, but they are not the same thing. Trials are tests from God to strengthen our faith; temptations a...  Read More

In real estate, the mantra is “location, location, location.” In Bible study, it’s “context, context, context.” Before we even set foot in verse 12, we need to remember where James has been leading us...  Read More

James ends this early section of his letter with a shocking statement: God levels the ground. Not economically, not socially, but spiritually. And He often does it through trials.This is not political...  Read More

There’s nothing more disorienting in a trial than spiritual instability—feeling like your soul is being pulled in two directions. That’s what James is addressing here. Right after telling us to ask G...  Read More

In the midst of life’s most difficult trials, we are commanded to endure. But James knows that perseverance is not automatic. You don’t endure because you want to. You endure because you know how. And...  Read More

Christian maturity doesn’t happen by accident. It is not produced by age, knowledge, or church attendance. It is produced by endurance—the Spirit-empowered perseverance that responds to trials with fa...  Read More

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” Let’s just admit it—this is not how most of us naturally think about hardship. James opens his letter to suffering Christians n...  Read More

Introduction: A Shadow of the CrossThe wilderness story in Exodus 17 may seem like just another stop along Israel’s journey—but it is so much more. It is Gospel terrain. It is holy ground.When Moses s...  Read More

Introduction: What Do You Name Your Wilderness?In Scripture, names matter. Names remember. They mark moments, establish meaning, and declare to future generations what happened in a particular place.H...  Read More

Introduction: When You’ve Come to the End of YourselfMoses has reached his breaking point.He’s led faithfully. He’s obeyed. He’s trusted the Lord. But now the people are angry—so angry they’re ready t...  Read More

Now, in verses 2–3, we see what was inside Israel’s heart: unbelief. Their thirst becomes a theological test—and they fail it. Instead of crying out to God, they lash out at Moses. Instead of trusting...  Read More

God is orchestrating every movement of His people. Not just the major milestones, but the small stages. They didn’t move until He said move. And when He said move, they went. There is a kind of beauty...  Read More

The one who comes out of the water is not saying, “I’ve arrived.” He is saying, “God has made me new—and I now walk in that newness.” This is why baptism is not optional. It is obedience. It is your p...  Read More

But let’s be honest. While the old self is positionally dead, practically, we still feel its pull. Paul himself speaks to this tension in Romans 7, describing the ongoing war between the desires of th...  Read More

To be faithful stewards of this ordinance, we must be clear about what baptism is and what it is not. Baptism Is Not Salvific Nowhere in Scripture is baptism presented as a means of regeneration. Jes...  Read More

In Exodus 16, for the first time in Scripture, the Sabbath is introduced not merely as a command, but as a lived reality. Before Sinai, before the Ten Commandments are even given, God weaves a weekly ...  Read More

In the midst of life's most distressing moments, when sorrow weighs heavily on our hearts and we find ourselves caught in the wilderness, we must ask ourselves the critical question: Where do we find ...  Read More

The Refuge and Strength of Our God in Times of AdversityIntroduction:Life often presents us with challenges that seem overwhelming—personal struggles, political unrest, societal shifts, or natural dis...  Read More

Salvation: A Divine Gift, Not a Human Achievement"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing be...  Read More

A Call to Gracious, Preserved Words in Times of AdversityAn Expositional Teaching on Colossians 4:2-6In the closing verses of his letter to the Colossians, Paul provides practical instructions for the...  Read More

More than any other practice in the Christian life, prayer serves as a window into what we believe about God. It exposes our understanding (or misunderstanding) of His nature, and how we approach Him ...  Read More

In a world that often blurs the lines between right and wrong, how can we, as followers of Christ, live lives that are truly set apart? This question lies at the heart of a powerful message found in 1...  Read More

12 Let no one despise you for your youth…Paul is cautioning Timothy to not allow anyone to look down on his youthfulness. Since Paul is no longer going to be there with the people to give Timothy natu...  Read More

In a culture that constantly pushes us to want more, achieve more, and be more, the concept of contentment can seem almost foreign. We're bombarded with messages telling us that our worth is tied to o...  Read More

In a world filled with countless voices claiming to speak truth, how can we discern what is truly of God? This question is as relevant today as it was in the early days of the church, when the Apostle...  Read More

Excerpt from the sermon: Train Yourself For GodlinessWe must “train ourselves for Godliness.” To do this, we must be nourished in the Word of God. This is your food and drink. In this nourishment, you...  Read More

God, make me poorer, that I might rely on your provision.God, make me lonely, that I might cherish your friendship.God, make me unsatisfied with media, that I might long to be captivated by your goodn...  Read More

“The neglect of discipline is the mother of all heresies.” —John CalvinChurch discipline is one of the most neglected and misunderstood teachings in the modern church. In an age that prizes comfort ov...  Read More

Most people are more familiar with this Christmas poem, with Santa Claus and Rudolph than they are the true meaning of Christmas. As a matter of fact, this December holiday is universally celebrated, ...  Read More

In 1719, Isaac Watts published a book of poems, each of which was based on a Psalm of the Bible. In his published works were the words of Joy to the World. Watts wrote these lyrics based off of Psalm ...  Read More

What if the One True Gospel of Jesus Christ changed you so much, that you no longer lived for yourself? What if the Saving Work of Jesus Christ—the Perfect Atonement for your sins—changed you so much,...  Read More

Cross-referencing 2 Corinthians 5:1 with Philippians 3:19-21 allows us to see the difference in mentality between the Ambassador and the unbeliever.Verse 19 clearly explains that the unbeliever sets h...  Read More

From the very outset of the Ambassador’s life, he sets his focus on “the things that are above.” The Ambassador recognizes that he is not of this world, and therefore should not live according to the ...  Read More

Chapter 5 leads us into verse 20, which says, “we are Ambassadors for Christ…” The Apostle Paul is writing this letter to the Corinthian church and explaining what it means to be an “Ambassador.” Chap...  Read More

Being an Ambassador means that you understand that this earth is temporary. The Ambassador sets his focus on his future hope in Christ. The Ambassador looks not to the things of this world, but instea...  Read More

In today’s American Christian culture many claim and profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They believe in his death and resurrection. They proclaim that Jesus paid the price for their sins. ...  Read More

Throughout the past three years, there has been a mass exodus of students out of the public school system. In fact, recent studies estimate 1.2 million K-12 students have left the public school system...  Read More

“The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, ...  Read More

As we come to the last verse of what is known as the Beatitudes, we encounter yet another verse on how to handle persecution. The purpose of the Beatitudes is to help the believer understand that the ...  Read More

"Blessed" This is to be happy with an eternal mindset. It's not temporary happiness, but lifelong joy. This is to find absolute peace in your life, no matter your circumstances. To be “blessed” is to ...  Read More