"Married....Now What?"

The frustrating realities of dealing with personal conflict and the wages of sin wear on us. In this section, James offers us some encouragement by pointing us again toward endurance as we frame our perspective with eternity. He calls us to look at everything through the lens of eternity by seeing things in full seasons rather than being lost in the frustrations of daily work. As with anything, ou...

The presence of the Holy Spirit may seem small at times, but Yodh (vv73-80) shows us how the constant companion we have in the Lord is what gives us humility, hope, and makes us a living testimony of the love of Christ to the world around us. As Levi Mattes concludes his series on Psalm 119, he shows how the plan was Jesus all along and how the scarlet thread of redemption is still vibrant today.

There is a natural conflict between the temporary world and the eternal world. James circles back to the theme of chapter 1 by speaking to those who have put their focus completely on the physical world and neglected the eternal. At the conclusion of chapter 4 he warns about those who set their minds on a plan without submitting to God. These same people are the ones who build their lives only loo...

The best cure for those who think too highly of themselves is to remind them of their own limitations. James began this section of his letter by rebuking those who think they have everything figured out. He points out that their sense of entitlement has called down the forces of heaven against them. But the root cause of their difficulty is not their wicked prayers. It is their arrogant and entitl...

The process of repentance can sometimes be a public spectacle. As others make themselves right with God, those who watch are still in danger of condemnation when they forget their own sinfulness. Since the product of sinful prayers is conflict, the natural result of conviction is the temptation to tear another person down in order to make ourselves seem more godly. The danger for any believer who...

The promise of grace is our introduction to salvation. But the longer we live it becomes increasingly hard to remember where we have come from. How do we respond to the revelation that if we live according to the flesh we declare war on our creator? How do we cultivate a personal and family culture that is continually aware of God’s grace? James offers five practical steps in our reconciliation wi...

There are few things more insidious than a traitor who fights against their own nation to try to destroy it. God’s word teaches us that after we are saved we move from slaves of the darkness to coheirs with Christ. As we begin to serve Him, He uses us to shine His light into our dark world in order to redeem it. But the continued struggle with our sin can continue to draw us back to our old allegi...

Every person makes decisions about their life. But their ability to make the best choice will be determined not by where they get their information, but how they process it. A godly person will receive their wisdom from God. An ungodly person will rely on their own wisdom. In this section, James teaches us how to evaluate where we are getting our wisdom and how to identify healthy leadership. Find...

The consequences of destructive talk are profound. In some cases, studies show that verbal abuse can lead to extreme and chronic social, mental, and even physical ailments. Scripture tells us that our words are a reflection of our internal condition. But the hope of the gospel is that the Holy Spirit intervenes in the lives of His children to supernaturally redeem their speech. It is only through...

One of the greatest challenges in the 21st century is that belief is the only requirement for salvation. This has led an entire generation to fall into the trap of falsely thinking that they are saved simply because they acknowledged God at one point in their lives. But God’s word tells us that the spiritually alive will be people of action. Simply put, if there is no action, there is no life. Fin...

The Family of God is meant to be a collection of people from all walks of life. One of the sinful struggles of living in a community of people that you love is the temptation to be exclusive. As God brings new people into a church, one of Satan’s strategies is to keep them on the fringes. But James teaches us that God takes favoritism just as seriously as any other sin. If we want to be like Chris...

What does it mean to obey God's commandments? In this lesson, guest teacher Pastor Matthew O'Mealey teaches on the biblical instruction to obey God's word. In doing so, we learn to know Christ, love Him, and love others for His sake.

Satan doesn’t care if you hear God’s word, read it, or even study it. He only cares if you obey it. In this lesson, pastor Philip Jackson teaches on the importance of obeying God’s word and its impact on our lives. Find the lesson handout here .

Our trials are the primary way that God tells the lost that He loves them. He speaks the loudest when His grace is displayed next to our brokenness. In this lesson, Pastor Philip Jackson teaches about our role as we endure the trials around us from James 1:12-18. Find the lesson handout here .

Your “trials” are not about you. Our first reaction to hardship is to think about how we are affected. But what does God’s word say about going through hard things? In this lesson, Pastor Philip Jackson begins a new series from the letter of James on the basics of discipleship entitled, “Tests and Temptations.”  After the persecution of the church following the murders of Stephen (Acts 7) and Jame...

Psalm 23 is one of the most famous passages of scripture. It is an encouraging message in a time of distress. In this lesson Pastor Philip Jackson teaches on 15 truths from this well known text.

The Word of God is an abundant gift! It shows us that God is Himself our portion and calls us into a deeper fellowship with Him. The community and peace that the Lord brings through His Word is unmatched by the world. In this lesson, Levi Mattes continues his series in Psalm 119 with Chet and Teth. Chet (vv. 56-64) is a testimony of the goodness of God through His Word. Teth (vv. 65-72) is a compa...

It seems impossible that marriage or children could be considered idols. After all, they are both gifts from God, right? The definition of an idol as anything that we put in the place of God as an authority over our lives. That means anything can get in the way of living according to His plan for us, even our spouse and children. It is important for God’s people to understand just how dangerous an...

Paul tells us that seeking a life in ministry is a noble thing (1 Tim 3:1). But for all believers, serving can become an idol that is more about the way we look to others than a genuine sacrifice to God. In this lesson, pastor Philip Jackson discusses the culturally acceptable idol of ministry from Mark 10:17-27.

The world (flesh) finds comfort in external things (possessions, relationships, power, status). But Christians find their comfort in God (knowledge, faith, hope). Depending on what we focus on, it will either lead us to contentment or perpetual want. The key difference is that worldly comfort can be taken from you, but godly comfort cannot. In this lesson Pastor Philip Jackson tackles what the Bib...

The average American parent says that they have 32 minutes of free time every day. We need to make sure that we keep every appointment, crush our jobs, have healthy friendships, make time for our spouses, and oh yes, make sure that we are exercising and eating healthy. But what does God's word say about our priorities and our busyness? In this episode, Pastor Philip Jackson begins a new series...

In this episode, guest speaker Bret Jackson offers some practical instruction in incorporating God's word into the life of your home.

In this episode, Pastor Nick Dyer begins his series on the basics of parenting entitled, Parent University. The subject of this lesson are the four parenting styles

In this episode, Pastor Nick Dyer begins his series on the basics of parenting entitled, Parent University. The subject of this lesson is as continuation of the seven stages of life.

In this episode, Pastor Nick Dyer begins his series on the basics of parenting entitled, Parent University. The subject of this lesson is correction and discipline.