Highrock Church

James exhorts us to draw close to God. How? By avoiding temptation, by resisting the Tempter, and by humbling ourselves so that God might lift us up. Once again, one of the most important ways we can humble ourselves is to refuse to judge one another. Only God can judge and any "judgments" we make must be based on what God has declared to be true. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one wit...

The world tells us that success is an upward climb but James reminds us that in God's world, we descend into greatness. Rather than climbing over others, we will be lifted up by God when we lower ourselves to become servants, just like Jesus. The lure of the upward climb is strong, and thankfully God is more gracious than our failures. God pours out grace on the humble. Looking for a previous devo...

If you were to unpack the reasons for your most recent fight with someone else, what might those reasons be? We might think it is because the other person is wrong and cannot or will not see how we are right! Whatever reasons we might give, James says that the underlying reasons are often the sinful desires at war within us. If James is right, then we will never resolve the conflicts we face until...

"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but words cause lasting damage. The true children of God will be peacemakers and healers, including how we speak to and about one another. As James put it, we cannot praise God and also curse those who are created in God's image. Once again, there are two paths and we must choose one. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here...

In this flashback from June 12, 2024, we see the Teacher turn to the idea of worship as the foundation of true wisdom. We are continually tempted to speak in ways that sway others to think better of us, whether true or not. With God, word and deed are the same, and so it should be for us. Let us be careful about making promises and let us honor each promise as we honor a God who does the same. Loo...

James returns to the topic of the way we speak to and about one another. We might be tempted to think that words are small things, and they are, but they have the power to redirect a person's very life. Just as a spark sets an entire forest ablaze, so the tongue can set fire to our lives -- individuals, communities, and even entire nations! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a fri...

As James continues to argue for the necessity of a faithful response to God's grace, he brings us two examples of such faith. First, he goes back to Abraham, the very father of our faith. Next, he points to the mother of all converts to the faith, Rahab. Both Abraham and Rahab were blessed by God not just for intellectually believing in God, but for trusting God by taking sacrificial risks to put...

Are we not saved by faith? How can James say that faith alone cannot save us? But is James alone? Paul said that a faith that can move mountains but without love is worthless (1 Cor 13:2). Jesus said that the person who hears his words but does not put them into practice will be swept away with the storms of life (Mt 7:27). For James, a merely intellectual faith that does not produce a faithful re...

God is merciful, yet James tells us that there are certain conditions under which God will not show us mercy! When will God not be merciful? When we refuse to show mercy to others. If we refuse to imitate God's mercy, God will imitate us in our lack of mercy. It is just as Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." Looking for a previous devo? Wan...

In this flashback to January 19, 2024, we see Jesus continuing to break the rules about the Sabbath, sending his opponents into a rage. In truth, he is only breaking the religious leaders' misunderstanding of God's rules. Jesus' honoring of God's rules and the breaking of human conventions both come from the same place—to bring about flourishing for the people he loves. Looking for a previous devo...

Showing favoritism is the most natural of human practices. Why wouldn't we favor those who have the power to make things happen for us? James gives us several reasons. Showing favoritism to rich people, for instance, is ungodly because God does not show favoritism. Such favoritism also demonstrates a faith in money rather than God. This favoritism is but one example. Where are we tempted to play f...

How do you know what you look like? Before the constant presence of cell phones with selfie capabilities, we relied on mirrors. Without them, knowing our own faces would be difficult. James compares the Word of God to a mirror that shows us, not our face, but our soul. And if we fail to live in light of God's Word, then it is as if we have looked in a mirror and immediately forgotten our own face....

James started his letter by telling us to be joyful when we face trials and temptations, because these tests are an opportunity to grow. In today's text, James returns to that idea by reminding us that it is "when" we are tempted, not "if". Rather than be surprised by temptations, we should expect and plan for them. God will not tempt us but God will certainly use temptation to strengthen us and l...

Should we ever boast about our blessings? James says the poor should boast that God has honored them, and the rich should boast that God has humbled them. The poor have been given true, spiritual riches by God and the rich have had their illusions dispelled so that they can no longer put their hope in worldly riches. Do you feel honored? Do you feel humbled? Or are you still waiting to be blessed?...

In this flashback from January 6, 2025, we see that John the Baptist had an important role to play, but he understood who he was and who he was not. He was not the Messiah. Instead, he was one who was to help people connect with Jesus, the only one who truly had the power to rescue people from their own darkness. There is a tremendous temptation for us to play messiah but tremendous freedom when w...

If you could ask God for anything, what would you ask? When Solomon had the chance to ask for anything, he asked for wisdom. Why? Not to bless himself, but so he could serve God well and bless others. When we ask in that spirit, in order to serve God and others with our whole selves, God will surely bless us! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.hig...

What challenges and difficulties do you face in your life? Do you consider it pure joy when you face these trials? No? Then this letter is for you! Rather than frustration, James exhorts us to consider our hardships as occasions for joy, because they are the opportunity for God to grow us to become the people we were meant to be. They are, or can be, the occasion for us to become more like Jesus!...

Both the beginning and end of this passage, even the very closing of this letter, exhorts us to "devote ourselves to doing good" -- especially in meeting one another's needs. Those who insist on distracting and dividing us on other matters must be warned so that everyone will see the love of Jesus being lived out in our midst. What good might God have in mind for you to do? Looking for a previous...

It can be difficult to show respect to the authorities, perhaps especially government authorities, when we believe that they do not deserve it. So why does Paul tell Titus to teach people to show gentleness, humility, and respect to such people? Because of God's grace. We did not deserve gentleness, humility, and respect yet that's exactly what Jesus showed to us in order to save us. Jesus invites...

What does it mean to fear God—and why would the Bible call that a good thing? Pastor Richard Lee takes us from the heights of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the gravitational center of our spiritual universe, challenging everything we assume about fear, danger, and reverence. Could it be that the only rational fear... is the fear that reorders everything else? · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermo...

Daily Devo | Spiritual Imposter Syndrome (Titus 2:15) "Imposter Syndrome" is an experience that many have, feeling unqualified for the position or task they have been given. Titus and his peer, Timothy, felt similarly unqualified for the tasks they had been given. As younger people, how could they lead elders who might resist them? Do you sometimes feel unqualified for what God has given you to do...

Normally, telling someone the end of the story is worthy of a spoiler alert -- otherwise the story may be ruined for the person. But when the story is real life, knowing the end of the story can help us to live with purpose and courage. Jesus reveals to us the end of the story, the end of history, in a way that gives us the freedom to truly live right now! Looking for a previous devo? Want to shar...

After speaking about other relationships, Paul addresses slaves. His advice has been used by many to justify slavery, but is that truly what Paul is doing? Or was Paul working for the dignity of slaves in a system that was unlikely to change? Richard Lee shares his perspective from working with International Justice Mission, a premiere non-profit working against global slavery and human traffickin...

What if God does change His mind? And what if your free will isn't as free as you think? Pastor Taylor Burgoyne dives headfirst into two theological juggernauts - divine sovereignty and human choice - and explores whether our desire for a God who never changes might actually keep us from seeing the God who’s far more dynamic and responsive than we imagined. · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermon...

We have a message to share both in how we live and what we say. We often want to have our lives do all the communication but there is also a call to make explicit in our words what is (hopefully) implicit in our lives. Clarity is kindness! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/ For Reflection: Paul gives older folks a s...