One type of pressure we all face is injustice. God has given us an innate sense of right and wrong, so when we experience injustice, it stirs strong emotions. The challenge is handling it correctly so we don't lose sight of our goals to live for God and share Christ with others.
It's important to remember that God's patience with injustice in the world now doesn't mean He tolerates it. There will be a day when He makes everything right. In the meantime, injustice will happen because we live in a broken world with broken people.
James warns that God will bring consequences to those who are unjust, especially those who use wealth and power to take advantage of others. He hears the cries of those who have been mistreated. While good people should step up to address large-scale injustices, James focuses on the everyday wrongdoings between individuals that we must navigate.
When someone wrongs us, we want them to pay. But trying to get revenge only makes things worse. Instead, we must let God deal with it and say, "Enough." Just as Jesus bridged the gap between us and God, we can stop the cycle of retaliation and allow for possible reconciliation.
So, how do we handle the pressure of injustice? James gives four key ways:
While waiting on God amid injustice, we may be tempted to look to others to rescue us, escape through unhealthy means, try to fix it ourselves or get discouraged to the point of giving up. But God wants us to turn to Him so He can train us to be stronger and transform us to be more like Christ. That's His purpose in allowing us to go through pressures.
Remember, the pain and pressure we experience in life have a purpose. Look to God first and let Him grow and change you through it. Trust Him to deal with injustice in His perfect way and time. Let's pray for a great turnout next week to celebrate our risen Savior!
In this sermon, Pastor Jeremy delves into the roots and destructive nature of conflict, using a unique onion analogy. Just as an onion has layers, conflict has layers that need to be peeled back to uncover its underlying causes of quarrels and fights.
On the surface, conflict manifests as visible arguments. But digging deeper stems from coveting and desiring what others have. This leads people to rely on themselves instead of turning to God. When people pray, it's often with selfish motives, seeking to fulfill their passions rather than aligning with God's will.
At its core, conflict arises from the sin of pride. Pride says, "I deserve this," and "I'm right no matter what." It elevates the self above God. The Bible says God actively opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
However, there is a way out of this destructive cycle. It starts with humility - submitting to God, resisting the devil, repenting of wrongdoing, and mourning over the damage caused by conflict. When we humble ourselves and turn to God, He promises to lift us up and guide us toward resolution.
Pastor Jeremy shares a historical example from his family heritage to illustrate how unresolved conflict escalates with devastating consequences over time. The Proctor and Beck families, both part of the Cherokee nation, ended up in a deadly feud known as the Goingsnake Massacre - all because pride and grievances were left to fester. I
n closing, Pastor Jeremy underscores the unique role of Christians in conflict resolution. We must choose humility, speak well of each other, and trust God as the ultimate judge. While the world will always have conflict, the church, as a beacon of peace, should be different. Humility is not just a starting point for reconciliation but a way of life that reflects God's peace.
Jared Jeffries, the director of student ministry at Hope Church, spoke about the power of words as part of a series on the Book of James and dealing with life's pressures. The sermon focuses on the power of words and how they relate to the pressures we face.
Jared begins by discussing his love for construction and how powerful tools like excavators can be used to build up or tear down. He draws a parallel to the power of words, citing Proverbs 18:21, which states that the tongue has the power of life and death. He then explores two ways in which pressure and words are related: pressure points can lead to words that reveal our hearts, and our words can escalate or alleviate life's pressure points.
Jared uses examples from his own life and a clip from the movie "Toy Story" to illustrate these points. Diving into James 3, Jared highlights three sobering perspectives on words:
However, he emphasizes that with Jesus, there is hope and help. Our words can be forgiven and controlled with Jesus. Jared then provides three practical guidelines for using words:
To gain wisdom, Jared encourages daily Bible reading, prayer, spending time with godly people, and asking God for wisdom (James 1:5).
He concludes by urging the congregation to put what they've learned into practice, suggesting actions such as memorizing verses, seeking forgiveness for hurtful words, and writing encouraging notes to others. Jared emphasizes the importance of relying on God to help control and guide one's words.
Woody and Buzz at the Gas Station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt6PL26aJNY
Words by Hawk Nelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA
Have you ever gone through a season where your faith in God was struggling or lacking? Maybe you're in that tough place right now, questioning whether walking with Jesus is worth it. If so, this encouraging message is for you!
In this sermon from our "Pressure Points" series through the book of James, Pastor Luke opens up about the crisis of faith he experienced years ago in college. He shares transparently about the factors that led to a dark period of doubts, isolation, exhaustion, and discouragement in his spiritual journey.
However, Pastor Luke doesn't leave us in that pit of lacking faith. He provides biblical wisdom and personal insights into the steps he took by God's grace to regain his footing and move forward in an authentic, life-giving faith.
The main point is this: Your faith makes a difference in how you live your life. Pastor Luke unpacks the biblical definition of faith as complete trust and confidence in Jesus Christ, contrasting it with our culture's vague, self-focused notions of faith.
Going verse-by-verse through James 2, he shows how genuine faith is based on the resurrection evidence of Jesus and will prove itself through outward actions like loving others, showing mercy, and producing good deeds. Using the life of Abraham, he reconciles the relationship between faith and works.
Pastor Luke then identifies four everyday situations where our faith may be lacking:
For each of these scenarios, Pastor Luke provides practical next steps we can take to realign our faith, such as:
-Identifying misplaced faith and seeking truth in Christ
-Choosing to obey God and be vulnerable with others
-Rejoicing and enduring testing while remembering God's purposes
-"B.A.S.E." our life on Christ by believing, accepting, switching to His plan, and expressing our commitment publicly
The message ends with an opportunity to place your faith in Jesus for the first time or rededicate yourself to walking with Him wholeheartedly, no matter what doubts or struggles you may be facing.
Whether you're a longtime Christian or simply exploring faith, this candid and empowering sermon will speak to you about persevering when your faith is lacking. You'll be inspired by the personal testimony and biblically grounded wisdom Pastor Luke shares.