Philippians 2:12-13 (HCSB)Lights in the World12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.Barry CobbTake a look at your church bulletin from last week (or any week, for tha...  Read More

James 2:20-26 (HCSB)20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. 23 So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and ...  Read More

James 2:18-19 (HCSB)18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.Barry CobbJames packs a punch with the 2 verses we’ll discuss today. In Verse 18, we see him speaking again of the tension between faith and works. Can we tru...  Read More

Genuine FaithJames 2:14-17 (HCSB)Faith and Works14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it doesn’t h...  Read More

Living Out Our FaithBe willing and prepared to help those in need.KEY TRUTH: Genuine Religion Ministers to the Vulnerable (James 1:26—2:13)KEY TRUTH: Genuine Religion Shows Love to Neighbors (Luke 10:25–37)KEY TRUTH: Ministering to the Vulnerable Is Ministering to Jesus (Matthew 25:31–40)FAMILY CONNECTION:  CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AFTER CHURCH!What is faith? (Choosing to trust God in every situati...  Read More

 This will require you to be honest with yourself: Give an example of when you allowed the world to influence your behavior, leading you to realize that you acted in a way that reflected a worthless religion rather than a God centered experience? If God will judge you on the merit of your actions and things you’ve done this week, what would that look like? Give an example of either side of the coi...  Read More

Matthew 25:31-40   (HCSB)The Sheep and the Goats31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will ...  Read More

Luke 10:25-37   (HCSB)The Parable of the Good Samaritan25 Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the law?” He asked him. “How do you read it?”  27 He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.28 ...  Read More

James 2:8-12  (HCSB)8 Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you ...  Read More

James 2:1-7  (HCSB)The Sin of Favoritism2 My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. 3 If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you ...  Read More

Living Out Our FaithJames 1:26-27  (HCSB)26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.Dana DorrisIn these two scriptures, James is giving us both a warning and a d...  Read More

Faith That EnduresMaintain a positive attitude toward trials, knowing God uses them to develop our faith.KEY TRUTH: God Uses Trials to Test and Grow Our Faith (James 1:1–8)KEY TRUTH: Both Poverty and Wealth Bring Trials (James 1:9–11)KEY TRUTH: Our Own Sinful Desires Entice Us to Sin (James 1:12–25)FAMILY CONNECTION:  CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AFTER CHURCH!What is joy? (A delightful contentment from...  Read More