CCW Podcast

"If money talks," said a popular comedian, "all it ever says to me is good-bye!" But money was not saying "good-bye" to the men James addressed in this fifth chapter of his letter. These men were rich, and their riches were being used for selfish purposes, as well as persecuting the poor in the process. James did not say it was sinful to be rich. After all, Abraham wa...

This Sunday we will be looking at James 4:13-17, which deals with people living their lives without God. Solomon wrote a whole book that describes life without God, the book of Ecclesiastes. In it, he explores all that life on this earth has to offer. As the richest and wisest man who ever lived, he had access to the finest things the world could afford. And what did he find in a world of pleasure...

We all know that churches are not perfect places. It only makes sense because they are filled with very imperfect people. But when we participate in the ways of the world, we invite conflict into the church. Why? Because the things of the world are not the things of God and these polar opposites create conflict and division. Remember last week in James 3:17-18, where James described the wisdom of...

As we continue in the book of James, we are reminded that though there is a lot of information about how to be wise, from books and videos on leadership and wealth-building to being a better parent, there is a better, more reliable source of wisdom. All of this other supposedly good information doesn't come from God, but from man. Unfortunately, man's wisdom is at best a passing folly, a...

In my previous message, we saw that when it comes to faith, actions speak louder than words. But that is not to diminish the power of the words that come out of our mouths. The words we speak carry great weight too. We can destroy lives or restore them with the flick of the tongue. As believers, how cautious we must be then about the things we say each day. Isn't it incredible? The kind of tr...

This week is the grand finale of our Forward series, and it’s a beautiful closing statement on Joshua’s service as well as a charge to us all. Joshua 24:15 says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” It’s unique when you think about how Deuteronomy closes and then how Joshua completes. They both end with a choice. Life and death, blessing and curse in Deuteronomy. Here, serve all these...

Have you heard, "Actions speak louder than words"? Believe it or not Christianity shares this sentiment. Simple declarations of faith mean nothing if your actions undermine the faith you profess. Faith is better seen than spoken. James, in chapter two, calls us to a faith that is visible, one that is acted out. This Sunday we will be diving into James 2:14-26, "Faith Is More Than Ju...

This Sunday we will move to the second chapter of James where we will learn that "Everybody Is Somebody in God's House." James continues a discussion of various temptations and trails that are common to all believers. One of the strongest temptations we face is that of showing partiality or favoritism, of discriminating against people. How would you like it if people based their fri...

We sometimes fit our Bible reading into our daily schedule with little thought. It is there alongside our morning coffee, workout at the gym, and our favorite TV show. But our time with the word of God should be more than small bits. It should be the most anticipated moment of our day, when we pause and read and consider God's truth for our lives. This Sunday we will continue in the book of J...

In a special appearance for Mother's Day, the five mothers in the linage of Christ have graciously agreed to step out of the pages of the Bible and join us to share their stories. Can God use prostitutes, widows, adulteresses, and a virgin? Apparently He can! God is able to bring cleansing and healing to broken lives and use their every day duties of motherhood to change the world. You don&ap...

The book of James is the letter written to the church about how to practice our faith. Last Sunday, we began by learning "How to Respond to the Trials of Life". James challenged us to celebrate the reasons for our trials to consider the results of our trials and to call upon God's resources during our trials. This Sunday, James will teach us that trials come from Satan and though we...

We now come to the last of the seven words spoken from the cross. As we examine this final utterance we find that it is mainly concerned with the divine Sonship of our Lord. So, in the word from the cross, we hear Jesus affirming His Sonship and saying "Father". If Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, then there is no message of the love of God in His life and death. Were we to read John...

We stand once again at the foot of the cross. It is now midday. For three hours the suffering body of Jesus has been exposed to the burning rays of the sun. His tortured mind has been subjected to the taunts of a mean crowd and the assaults of the merciless powers of evil. The sun is at its height, yet darkness falls over the whole earth. It is a darkness that can be felt. We can imagine people re...

All month long, we've been looking at Jesus' words from the cross. We'll close the month of March with the Word of Affection, when Jesus looked at his mother and said, "Woman, behold thy son!" then speaking to John, He said, "Behold your mother!" (John 19:26-27). This third word from the cross conjures up one of the most tender scenes on that all-eventful day. Fo...

He is risen! He is risen indeed! This Easter Sunday we will look at the word of Triumph from the cross. The sun which has refused to shine, comes out from behind the clouds. Abraham, the Old Testament saints, and all the angels of heaven watch with expectation to witness God’s promised day of redemption. For those of us who have lived since the cross, we look back to it as the most significant and...

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the day that the city of Jerusalem waved palm tree branches with a hero’s welcome as Jesus rode into the city, just a few days before their cheers turned, and they cried out for His crucifixion. We will continue listening to the last words that Jesus spoke from the cross. The second word from the cross is Today. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today sh...

Easter's coming, so we'll be looking at the cross, and particularly Jesus' last words from the cross. The words Jesus spoke as He hung upon the cross are precious. Spikes had been driven through His hands and feet. The instrument of torture had been raised and allowed to fall into the ground with such force that all His bones were out of joint; He had been spat upon; His body had be...

The Holy Spirit has a threefold ministry that relates to the Word of God. First of all, He is involved in the revelation of the Word of God. In other words, the Holy Spirit reveals the thoughts and words of God to man. Secondly, He is involved in the inspiration of the Word of God. This means that God specially enabled the people who wrote down His words by the Holy Spirit, so that the words were...

David volunteered for a battle that the regular soldiers had no courage to engage in. Even King Saul, who stood head and shoulders taller than most of his men wouldn't go out to fight. "Then David said to Saul, "Let no man heart's fail because of him [Goliath]; your servant will go and fight this Philistine" (I Samuel 17:32). This shows us David's courage. God used a...

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? And why is it important for us to even learn about it? Is it not some mysterious doctrine that belongs to the Mystics? Does it have anything to do with you and me in a practical sense? All of us would agree that living the Christian life is a demanding experience and that standards for living like Jesus are high or should be. In fact, they are n...