It was 1974. Mary Ann and I had only been married less than a year when another young couple friend of ours, Joyce and Dwight Watts, faced an enormous challenge. Joyce went into the hospital sick on
Continue reading...It was 1974. I was so discouraged. Our good friend had entered the hospital with leukemia, discovered she was pregnant, and the elders of our church came and prayed for her. I remember one of them saying
Continue reading...The Armenians have a proverb: If you can’t be rich, be the neighbor of a rich man. The Armenians are apparently much more trusting of rich people than James was. When we come to our passage in
Continue reading...James mentions bringing back a sinner from his wandering. You perhaps can imagine just how sensitive such a quest can be. You have to be loving and truthful, which may be hurtful. You have to be
Continue reading...Do I have to believe that God will heal me if I pray, or is it enough to believe that God can heal me? If I have a word from God that He is going to heal me, then I should believe He will heal me.
Continue reading...Are you willing to compromise morally to get more wealth? James wants to assure you that God will exact justice toward you. You won’t get away with it. Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the
Continue reading...When I did counseling, I often found myself “knowing” exactly how I must conduct the session to bring about help and change. I was in essence saying, “I will do such and such and it
Continue reading...Did the early church live in perfect harmony? Of course not. The examples of disunity abound. And disunity is looked at as a severe sin. James here explains why. What causes quarrels and what causes
Continue reading...In Scripture, wisdom is not intelligence, or even right thinking. It is right thinking about God demonstrated in right behavior. Just as faith must be demonstrated by good works, so must wisdom be
Continue reading...Joel Osteen was mentioned in the last post. Is he a false teacher? He has made remarks in interviews that bring that into question but has retracted them later. It is safe to say that, if he holds
Continue reading...I was talking to a man and asking who among his siblings was saved. His brother was told by Joel Osteen that if you pray the prayer of salvation, you are saved. His brother prayed that prayer but never
Continue reading...This irrational fear we have of being labeled racist has prevented us from really examining our prejudices. And it is the height of foolishness to not want our children to be introduced to the problem
Continue reading...It is so easy to be only a hearer. I read the Scripture, but I don’t think about how to apply it. I listen to a sermon, but it doesn’t change my life. But just hearing makes me think
Continue reading...There is a righteous anger, like when Jesus displayed anger at those who had demeaned the temple of God with their commerce. The anger of man that James is speaking about is not just or righteous, but
Continue reading...Question 4 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is God?” and answers, “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice,
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