DO YOU KNOW THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS? Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, have you learned the art of being truly glad? The apostle Peter knew this gladness. In this one verse, he shared his spiritual secret of happiness. First, focus on the “wonderful joy ahead.” For we have a priceless inheritance being kept for
WHO DO YOU CALL? Today, when someone complains of an illness or pain. The first question they are asked is: “Have you called the doctor?” Yet, when James was writing his epistle, the first question would’ve been: “Have you called the elders of the church?” Having available modern medicine, we forget the benefit of prayer
WILL WE EVER HAVE PEACE ON EARTH? We may blame conflict on external circumstances caused by others, but James said that war actually originates within each of our hearts. How long in human history did man exist before his first quarrel? Not long. Just long enough for two brothers to be born. Yet God saw
HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD? The psalmist’s view of God was greater than his fear of man, therefore he did not fear. Why should the child of God fear anything? What is so great or terrible that it should trouble the believer’s heart with anxiety? The apostle Paul seems to be thinking of this verse
THE AMAZING PROMISE OF RESURRECTION Ezekiel was called to prophesy to the Jewish exiles in Babylon and those scattered throughout the nations. This was a time when Israel had ceased to exist as a nation. In the national sense, it was dead. So, this resurrection prophecy might first be considered symbolic of a day when
MOVING TRIALS FROM THE SAD COLUMN TO THE GLAD COLUMN James described the spiritual mindset that the Christian should have when facing trials. What is this mindset? “Great joy.” Not happiness, which is based on external happenings, but “great joy,” which comes from within and is the fruit of the Spirit for the believer that
WHEN A PEOPLE ACCUSE THE LORD When a people lose their fear of the Lord and begin to lift their own judgments above His, that nation will not long survive. The prophet Ezekiel warned the people of Judah to repent. Yet they responded by accusing God of injustice rather than repenting themselves. Today, we often
WORK AT LIVING IN PEACE WITH ALL PEOPLE Those who are at peace with God through faith in Jesus are to pursue living in peace with all people.” Peace is the third member of the first triad of the fruit of the Spirit: “Love, joy, peace” (Gal. 5:22). Therefore, peace is one of the key
DON’T WASTE THE PAIN Are you going through a season of hardship or sorrow? Are you burdened by trouble? Exhausted by trial or disappointment? Don’t waste the pain. God is still God. He is still sovereign. Such seasons are never enjoyable at the time, but when we look back on them, we see how God
I’D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN ANYTHING The book of Hebrews teaches that it was “by faith” that Moses chose to be identified with God’s people rather than remain as the adopted son of Pharoah’s daughter. Moses was further commended for his faith in that he considered it better to suffer for “Christ” and look to