In James 1:14, it says, “14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” Some people wonder, “What about Satan, James? In the Garden of Even, didn’t Satan tempt Eve? Wasn’t it his fault?” Satan may be responsible for luring us into sin, but the Bible is very clear that [...]
Every Christian I know has at least a couple of areas where they struggle. We are all double-minded in one way or another. In my life there have always been a few places where the pull of this fallen world is very strong. Sometimes I find that my affections are divided. The struggle with [...]
Senior Pastor Mark Stafford The Strength of Single-Minded Faith The Book of James was written to help us understand the purpose behind the various tests and trials we endure. Sometimes tests will reveal to us that we need Jesus. There are religious people who are not yet saved and their [...]
Samson was under a Nazarite vow, which was different from being a Nazarene, so don’t get the two confused! The Nazarite vow is outlined in Numbers 6. Individuals in the Old Testament times would sometimes take this vow to show gratitude for answered prayer. The vow included abstaining from all alcohol or anything remotely [...]
“2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) God’s ultimate purpose for trials in our lives is that we’ll grow spiritually strong as we become more [...]
Stronger from Trials – James 1:1-12 Trials are inevitable and God intends the trials in your life to deepen your faith in Him. Right out of the gate, James chapter 1 introduces us to a number of themes, but its primary focus is on trials and temptation. James will help us understand how a [...]
Faith can simply be defined as trusting that God will fulfill His promises. God makes promises on the basis of His perfect wisdom. James encourages us to ask God for wisdom when we find ourselves lacking. James 1:5-7 says, “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, [...]
Some people think that Jesus paid for most of our sins on the cross, but He still left something up to us. They will say, “Well, of course you need God’s grace to be saved. No one can save themselves, but you still have to DO something to win God’s approval.” Some claim that this [...]
Senior Pastor Mark Stafford James - A Strong Man of Faith An Overview of James Through the lens of Acts 15 Some people think that Jesus paid for most of our sins on the cross, but He still left something up to us. They will say, “Well, of course you [...]
Who Was James? #1 James was the half-brother of Jesus. Mark 6:3 lists the names of Jesus’ four half-brothers. (Jesus has some sisters, too.) James is the first listed, meaning that he is probably the oldest of Jesus’ younger brothers. James and Jesus would have spent a great deal of time with one another [...]
