1 Peter 1:3,4 He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading… Where does my hope come from? In the opening words of his letter, Peter echoes the profound teaching of Jesus that though…
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James 5:19,20 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James previously warned me not to judge others, but this does not mean…
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James 5:14,15 Is anyone among you sick? … The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick… I am afraid of writing on this passage, as I would rather skip over a topic than get it wrong. I am afraid of getting it wrong, as I know what some of you are going…
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James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. When, in life, have you felt closest to God? When have you pursued him the most desperately? I have had a few routine times that I can recall (summer camp, church events) when I felt close to God,…
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James 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no… I swear to God that I’ll that I’ll change… I’ll never eat a whole box of donuts again… I’ll never yell at the…
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James 5:7,11 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord…you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. I am not a patient person. I want what I want and I want it now. This defect expresses itself even when I think I am doing right. When…
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James 5:2,3. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded… In perhaps his most blistering words yet, James plays the grand auditor, sifting through the eternal worth of my life, searching for anything of permanent value. What will he find in me that will truly stand the test…
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James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. I picked up this phrase, Do the next right thing, in recovery as I learned that my first instinct is usually the wrong one. The first impulse of my flesh usually does not provide…
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James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”…You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and…
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James 4:11,12 Do not speak evil against one another… Who are you to judge your neighbor? This is the third (and not final) time that James warns me not to speak evil of those around me. Is God trying to tell me something that I am missing? I have not spoken evil about anyone since…
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