Word in Five

God does what is right - he is fair and he shows us just how fair he is. We can trust him with justice. We can pray that he will deliver us from evil - and he will!

Abraham is being like Jesus, not self-focused but praying for others. Abraham knows what the LORD is like - he is big in mercy - and so he teaches us how to pray.

God is humble. He comes down because he wants to be known. Jesus eats and drinks with sinners.

Nothing is impossible with God - a child to old Sarah (and Abraham). Even a virgin birth to Mary many years later. We get to pray to God Almighty and ask for help in whatever situation we are in, following the example of Jesus.

The LORD is absolutely relentless in working out his plan. It's always Plan A - God living with his people in a world full of life. He makes promises and he keeps them...for ever!

May we be like Hagar and see the LORD who sees us. He comes looking for us. What a wonderful thing it is to be known and loved.

Wow! God really is committed to keeping his promise to rescue and save his people and his creation. So committed that he gives his only Son, Jesus who laid down his life to save us.

Abram had a Protector who one day will live with Abram and all his people - this great number of people like the stars in the sky that are just too many to count. Abram was made right with God through trusting in Jesus. May we be like Abram and say to the LORD, "I believe, help my unbelief".

Be like Jesus and be willing to forgive and help others. How kind God is to give us the privilege of serving him and being useful even after we fail him so many times. And we have a high priest forever who has dealt with our sin forever!

War is so sad and there is so much of it. The city of Babylon leads this war. It's in the Bible because Lot is involved and he is one of God's people. The LORD cares passionately for his people. Next time we will meet a king of peace in this story who reminds us that Jesus is the heaven born Prince of Peace.

Abram shows us what Jesus is like by giving rather than grasping. Lot chooses to live away from the LORD and it ends up costing him a great deal.

What happened to Abram's faith? It's good when our sin is exposed and we can turn from it. Like Abram, we need Jesus to rescue and save us. He always trusted.

The LORD says "I will" and Abram trusted him. Not because he was some kind of free spirit hippie, but because he knew what God is like and trusted him to restore his creation through the Saviour, Jesus.

What a gloomy part of the Bible this teams to be and yet good news is just around the corner. There's hope even in the darkest places with Jesus.

Prayer really matters at all times. Prayer is so powerful. Let's pray when things are going well and when we're in times of trouble. God can and does heal the sick and he helps sick people to serve him even in their sickness. Let's be people who look out for one another.

We need to keep doing the right thing even when it's tough which will take great patience, like a farmer not cutting corners, but looking ahead to the future harvest. Let's look ahead to seeing Jesus, the Judge who is standing at the door. And let's be people of truth.

Who was Job and why does James mention him? He was a suffering servant of God who kept going until the end teaching us so much about Jesus, the Servant of the Lord.

What a responsibility it is to be rich...and compared to many parts of the world we are very rich in the UK. James challenges us in the light of Jesus' return to not store up wealth for ourselves but to serve others in giving to the needy.

Let's not be arrogant and proud judging others and thinking we don't need God. We depend upon him for everything. Let's be like Jesus and do the good we ought to do every day.

Thank you James for your honesty with us once again. It's so easy to point the finger at other people, but James brings us to look at our own hearts. Are we responding like we belong to Jesus or like we are married to the world? He gives us more grace to draw near to him and humble ourselves so that he can lift us up!

There are two kinds of wisdom - but only one of them is really wisdom. We get it from Jesus, Mr Wisdom and it makes us more like him and at its heart is being humble.

How dangerous our tongues can be. How we need Jesus to forgive us for our wrong words and to give us the strength to tame our tongues. Let's make our speech a priority in being like Jesus. What a difference that will make!

Faith in Jesus show itself as it with Abraham and Rahab. James wants his readers to have a saving faith that says "Jesus is Lord" rather than a dead faith which even demons have!

Loving God means loving our neighbour. That's what we have been saved to do. Loving our neighbour as ourselves safeguards us against selfishly showing favouritism. When we get hold of what we have been forgiven, we will be forgivers.

Showing favouritism is actually very selfish and turns us into judges. May we be like Jesus who ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners so that our church showcases the love of Jesus to the community.