http://bible.com/events/48767064

James and the Trials of Life
God is with us on this journey. We believe, for such a time as this, He has called us.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:15-16‬‬
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

The following passage is really an introduction to the entire book of James. He will revisit the topic of trials, testing, perseverance and maturity throughout. We will see these ideas again on our journey through James.

‭‭James‬ ‭1:1-4‬‬
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Happiness is causal
Joy is cultivated

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:6-7‬‬
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:1-2‬‬
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

We are tried
To prove our faith true

We are refined
To truly reflect Him

‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬‬
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Other resources for further study:

2 Corinthians 4:7-11
Psalm 24:3-5
Romans 12:12

Faith upholds a Christian under all trials, by assuring him that every painful dispensation is under the direction of his Lord; that chastisements are a token of His love; that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him, according to his need.
—John Newton

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48761539

James: The Man and the Book

God is with us on this journey. We believe, for such a time as this, He has called us.

Today we start something that’s unprecedented for us. Today we begin a study in the book of James that will carry us through the end of 2021 and beyond.

Why James?

Relationship – James was Jesus’ half-brother. He was a literal witness, not just of Jesus’ public ministry, but of his life. Influence – After Jesus’ death and resurrection, James’ life was transformed. He became the leader of the church is Jerusalem, the first Christian community ever.

Timing – The book of James is believed to be the first written book of the New Testament canon. It is the first existing Christian writing of any kind that we know about.

Purpose – The book is practical, not especially focused on the theological roots of why we believe, but rather an emphasis on action and obedience in response to what we believe.

There is a clear connection between the book of James and the words of Jesus. Consider just a few examples from James and the Sermon on the Mount:-“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2) & “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)-“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:4) & “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)- “…you have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2) & “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

Why this approach?

It will challenge us. It will force us to slow down. It will cause us to dig deeper.

What is essential for each one of us as we prepare for this journey? Faith that is willing to persevere.

James 1:22NIV

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Throughout this journey, we are going to come face to face with God’s truth. And each and every time, we will be faced with an important decision: Am I going to do what it says? If, according to James, we should be “doers of the word” rather than just hearers, what does my doing look like? Am I even doing anything?

Other resources for further study:

James in 8 Minutes

This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

Echoes of the Sermon on the Mount in the Book of James https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/echoes-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount-in-the-book-of-james/

http://bible.com/events/48757066

It’s All in Your Mind: Thinking Straight

If your mind believes anything you tell it….what are you telling it?

Missed week 2 of the series?

Check out last week’s message as Pastor Adrian shares the truth of how we ‘take every thought captive’ in the battle of the mind.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9nVXaE330I

Maybe you find yourself praying, “Lord, change my circumstances”. Maybe you find yourself praying, “Lord, change my actions”. Maybe you find yourself praying, “Lord, change my heart”.
But over these last few weeks, we are learning that the most important prayer we can pray is this:” Lord, change my mind”.

Last week we focused on what NOT to think.
This week we will lean into this question: So what SHOULD we think about?

Philippians 4:4-9NIV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

As we choose to rejoice and as we choose not to be anxious, we experience the peace of God. It’s not our version of peace, but rather it will be His peace.-In the battle of the mind, Paul commands the church to dwell on these specific things.-Paul moves from thought (‘think on such things’) to action (‘put it into practice’), and then to experience (‘God of peace will be with you’).

“Your mind always believes everything you tell it.” Anonymous
So, what are you telling it?

Isaiah 26:3NIV

3 You will keep in perfect peacethose whose minds are steadfast,because they trust in you.

A declaration to dwell upon:
I am a child of God, created and saved by Him.

Jesus did for me what no one else could do – providing my forever life in Heaven by faith through His death and resurrection. It doesn’t matter what I see in my circumstances, I will trust Him. I will hope, because I am His. Worry is not my master. Fear will not rule me. My enemy wants to bury me under a mountain of lies. He will not. God’s Word is truth .I will fix my mind on Him, the one most lovely, noble and beautiful. I will not focus on myself but on loving every one around me daily. I need Him so desperately and He will be faithful. I believe.

It’s All in Your Mind Part 3
It’s All In Your Mind: Thinking straight

Welcome back to series- It’s all in your mind

“Most of life’s battles are won or lost in our minds”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:4-5‬‬
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

With everything happening in the world right now, it could be hard to find something to rejoice about. But, this isn’t saying “rejoice in the world” rather “rejoice in the Lord.” ALWAYS.

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6‬‬
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

As followers of Jesus, we don’t find victory in the battle of our minds within ourselves, we find it within the person and presence of Jesus.

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:7‬‬
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is the peace that Jesus spoke of when he said. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬‬
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

If last week we looked specifically at what NOT to think about, the Apostle Paul is telling us what TO think about.

How would your life be different if you focused and dwelt on these things?

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬‬
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Paul’s final exhortation is to put into practice what they have seen and what they have learned from him.

We have the same commission today!

It’s All in Your Mind: Captivated

“You cannot change what you do not confront.” -Craig Groeschel

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• Locations and TimesReview – Week 1-We are focusing this series on the battle in our minds. We believe God gives us victory in this battle. We will not waste another day losing a battle we can win.-There are a lot of ways God’s Word could challenge us to be transformed, but it clearly states we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).-Most of life’s battles are won or lost in the mind.-This transformation isn’t optional – only for some people – but for anyone who wants to mature in the faith. It’s for anyone who wants to experience victory.-Without a renewed mind we are adrift, not able to know the Will of God.-When we are in Christ, we have access to the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).-A transformed mind isn’t just your mind cleaned up a little – it’s HIS MIND IN YOU.-Our declaration of truth: Change your mind, change your life.Add your private notes…• • •The question for us today: What does it look like to have our minds transformed?If we are to be transformed by our mind’s renewal, then what does that look like on a day by day and moment by moment basis?Add your private notes…• • •2 Corinthians 10:3-5NIV

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

The word used here for war literally means….war. The word used here for weapons literally means…weapons. Paul’s readers would have been thinking of actual war.-While the opening sounds like an instruction on waging an earthly war, it might surprise you when, in verse 5, Paul writes that we are not fighting people, but “arguments and every pretension”-The word for “take captive” is also a military term, indicating that you have overcome an enemy and that enemy is now under your control.-It appears there are two options presented in the text: you control your thoughts or your thoughts will control you.

The good news:-Just because a thought is in your head does not mean it’s your thought .It does not mean you put it there. It does not mean that it’s true.-Just because a thought pops into your head doesn’t mean you have to accept and believe it.-You actually have the power to CHOOSE what you believe and what you allow into your mind.

How we ‘take thoughts captive’:1. First we must ask ‘what is the lie’?2. Next we must ask ‘what does God’s Word say’?3. We must proclaim truth over our lives.

Taking every thought captive means that we take control of what we think. We think intentionally, not accidentally

Stronghold: God doesn’t exist.
The Truth:-The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1-The heavens declare the glory of God the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2-Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” John 14:9-You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13Add your private notes…• • •Stronghold: I’ll never know God’s will. He has abandoned me.
The Truth:-Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6-Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10-The Lord has said “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” Hebrews 13:5-6

Stronghold: God ignores my prayers completely.
The Truth:-This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14-The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16-And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 (NLT)

Stronghold: I’m a failure and always will be.
The Truth:-For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13-I don’t want self-confidence anyway – my confidence is and always will be in Him. (But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. Jeremiah 17:7)-Jesus said “He must greater and I must less.” (He must increase, I must decrease) John 3:30

Stronghold: God won’t meet my needs.
The Truth:-Jesus said “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ” Matthew 6:26-Jesus taught us to pray ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.’ Matthew 6:10-11-And my God WILL meet ALL your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Stronghold: Lust will always be a part of my life. Might as well just get used to it.
The Truth:-We know that our old self was crucified … so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6-No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Stronghold: Other people can trust God for a bright and hopeful future, but that’s for them, not for me.
The Truth:-Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-8-Cast all your cares on Him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7-If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31