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“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” ~John 3:7 For Christians, there are few things that are more misunderstood than the work of regeneration and the new birth. Pastor Nemmers explained how this passage in John chapter 3 is perhaps one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. Why? I believe the reason so many misunderstand or look past the clear teaching in this passage is because it lays the responsibility and act…

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ~Matthew 3:13,14 There are times when we read Scripture and wonder about what was said or done because we do not immediately understand God’s point in it. As we read of the account of the baptism of Jesus, we see that sometimes those people involved in…

Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? ~James 2:20 Hopefully by now we are all beginning to see the importance and value of good works in the lives of Christians. The value and importance of good works are not in their ability to win salvation for us (because they can’t), and their worth is not found in their ability to keep us saved (because they don’t), but their significance is found…

and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. ~James 2:23 If ever there was an example of true saving faith, lived out in the life of someone, it was Abraham. As Pastor noted last Sunday, Abraham is the “Father of all who believe” and as James puts it, “a friend of God.” James has been talking about faith which is genuine, will be…

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ~James 2:14 Pastor’s message entitled “Unsaved Believers” from last Sunday, presents a tragic and frightening reality. The idea that someone can believe Jesus is the Christ and yet remain unregenerate and unsaved speaks to the power and deceptiveness of our corrupted hearts. I know Christians who believe this cannot be. They refuse to accept the notion of someone…

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. ~James 2:1 I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Pastor’s message from this last Sunday and after considering the example James gives about showing favoritism to the rich man over the poor man, I can see how easy it is for me to commit this particular sin. I’m not talking about actively giving better treatment to someone who is rich…

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ~James 1:23,24 We would all agree that to hear, read, and study the Word of God is important, but all of that without obedience to what it calls us to do misses the point entirely. To…

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. ~Mark 5:1,2 I really appreciated Nathan’s message this past Sunday and especially the point he made about the sovereignty of Jesus over all creation. Nathan said “if Jesus is sovereign ruler overall He has to have power over all things, including demons.”…

I’ve needed reminders lately. Lots of them. No, not little, yellow sticky notes reminding me to get peanut butter. Although sometimes I need those, too. But lately I’ve been looking a bit too far down the road. You know, peering at the worries on the horizon. Wondering what storm clouds might be brewing. I hear the future rumbling, and I don’t like the sound of it. Doubts. Fears. A need–dare I say a demand–for some answers, ricochet around in my…

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ~James 1:22 As Pastor pointed out Sunday morning, the point of James chapter one, verses nineteen through twenty-five is to be found here in verse twenty-two. He also explained how this truth could be the central thought around which the rest of the book revolves. If you could sum up in one sentence how a Christian should live it is to be found here in this one verse.…

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ~James 1:16,17 As James writes about trials, sufferings, temptation leading to sin and death, there is a danger the reader may ascribe evil to God’s nature. James corrects this wrong thinking by earlier reminding his readers that temptation to sin comes from our own lustful…

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.  ~James 1:13 That’s a good thing to remember… when we are tempted to do evil, it is not God who is tempting us. God does not and will not tempt anyone because that would be sin. It’s a good thing to remember because when we give in to temptation and commit sin, we…

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. ~James 1:9,10 It would seem that no matter our situation, rather it be poverty or prosperity, there is a test for us. Pastor showed us how poverty tempts us to curse God and envy others, while prosperity tempts us to forget God and degrade others. In this sin cursed world there will always be the…

“Count it all joy, my brethren. . . “ James 1:2  What is joy? How is it different from happiness? Why does it, sometimes, seem so elusive? And here’s the big question: aren’t we as believers supposed to be joy-filled always? A similar question was posed by a friend of mine on Facebook the other day— “I am curious. . . how do you define true happiness?” Wow! I couldn’t let that opportunity slip by. Here was my answer– “Happiness is temporary, fleeting, and…

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ~James 1:2,3  Three weeks ago when Pastor preached part one of this sermon, he gave us three reasons for trials: 1. Trials test the quality of our faith. 2. Trials bring us to God. 3. Trials develop enduring strength. This Sunday he added to that four more; they are: 4. Trials produce Christ likeness. 5. Trials…

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. ~Ephesians 1:3,4 The doctrine, or teaching, of God’s choosing people for salvation can certainly generate some discussion. As one of the Doctrines of Grace, some people call it Unconditional Election. What does the…