Columbia Bible Presbyterian Church Sermons

Introduction: Psalm 84 is the picture of a journey in three phases: deciding, going, and arriving. You and I do not think about journeys or trips the same way they did when this Psalm was written. On my recent trip to Colorado, I took some time to drive out to the family cabin in Glen Haven. The cabin, named Kinnikinnik, was built in 1929 and has served as a summer destination for five generations...

Without hope, we give up. With hope, we press so. Therefore, Proverbs 13:12 warns us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Hope and desire are linked. Hope is for something you desire. Hope is the joy that drives our lives. Hope can be dangerous, for when it is deferred, it brings weakness. We need word-shaped desires driven by God-fueled hopes.

After recounting the life of Joseph, where his wise life was often rewarded with oppression, Mitchel Chase writes, “We cannot control outcomes, and we do not know what the future holds. What we can do is make the next right decision, the next wise move. Wisdom is about playing the long game. It is about making choices out of a heart committed to honoring the Lord and trusting his good providence....

As James concludes his epistle, he exhorts us to faithfulness in all areas of life. If we are suffering, we must pray. If we are cheerful, we must sing praise. If we are sick, we must call for the elders to pray. No matter our current state, we have a faithful action to engage in.

James 4:11 commands us that we "do not speak evil against one another, brothers."