James 5:7-20 {Prayer} Usually when you conclude a book, there is this definite ending. Any and all questions are answered, mysteries are solved, the guy gets the girl, and everyone lives happily ever after. If your expecting some sort of Hallmark ending to the book of James … I’m sorry to say that…
James 3:13-4:10 {Prayer} Ambition … is it a good thing or a bad thing? Like with many things, it all depends upon the context in which it is used. Ambition can be a virtue as it is that strong desire within someone to do or to achieve something. Ambition typically requires determination…
James 3:1-12 {Prayer} The old myth is that your tongue is the strongest muscle in the body. Now scientifically, that is not true. No matter what measurement of strength you use, the tongue is nowhere near the top of the list. If you’re looking at strength endurance … your heart is the…
James 2:14-18 {Prayer} Exercise … it’s one of those things that you either enjoy doing or it’s something you would rather not do at all. I enjoy exercising, but just haven’t been able to have the time to do it. I sometimes joke with Jessica that I even in my busyness, I do manage…
James 1:16-17 Dear Friends in Christ, Sometime ago I understand there was an opening in our government’s Central Intelligence Agency – the CIA – that opening, that position was for an assassin—a person who would kill without hesitation those that the CIA deemed a threat to national security. As you might well…
James 1:13-15 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it…
Readings: Acts 15:12-21; James 1:1-4, 12-18; Matthew 13:54-58 Family and Friends of Salem Lutheran Church, We have begun another school year. Children, youth, and some adults are back to school. They are studying. What they are studying depends on their courses. One course that should be taken by every Christian is: “Trouble.” That’s why I…
James 4:8 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Dear Friends in Christ, I’d like to begin this morning by seeing how well you listen to my sermons. In a sermon I preached earlier this year I stated that of…
James 3:1-12 Taming the Tongue 3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3 When we…
James 5:16a 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. Dear Friends in Christ, When I was a fairly young lad growing up in Staunton, IL, the summer months were the highlight of my year. I lived for summer because I knew that every…