How do we get the church out of the church and into the community where God wants it to be? “Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone” (James 2:14). Sideliners When I was younger, I was a sideliner. I wasn’t …
Faith at Work
As we develop a faith for our everyday lives, we especially want to extend that to our workplace — where we spend so much time and have such consistent contact with others. We may not realize it, but our employers, co-workers and customers can either be influenced, impacted by, imposed upon or annoyed by our faith. We may be the …
Humble Yourself
I want to discuss how to humble yourself so that God may exalt you in due time. When we learn to humble ourselves, people will see more of Jesus and less of us. Otherwise, we get in the way too much. When we understand that one of the things we must do for ourselves is to humble ourselves, then God …
Biblically Wise Finances
Because faith comes from hearing, if we want faith for something, we have to hear about it. So, if we want to have faith about money and learn to steward it God’s way, we have to hear about it. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). Seed for Sowing “Now He who supplies …
Words in Excess: Complaining
Did you know that grumbling and arguing will cause you to make terrible decisions? The Book of James talks about that. “Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look! The Judge is standing at the door! For examples … look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord!” (James 5:9-10). …
The Dark Side of Success
Samson is someone who had reached success but didn’t have the inner strength to sustain that success and the pressure of that success destroyed his life. He was someone who had a great start, but a poor ending. When the Philistines surrounded Israel as their enemies, God raised up Samson as a judge. God gave him divine strength, great gifts …
Walk the Talk (Be The Example)
A Pastor’s Devotion from the New Hope Team. SCRIPTURE Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. . . Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:12 & 16 OBSERVATION The effectiveness of my preaching is …
A Lifestyle of Action
A Lifestyle of Action I started a series in Hebrews 10 where we’ll examine four different ways to live if the gospel is true. The first was a lifestyle of devotion; today is a lifestyle of ACTION. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. -Hebrews 10:23 It’s natural for me …
Is There Such a Thing as Faith Without Obedience?
At North Coast Church I’ve long used the word picture of giving the steering wheel of our life over to Jesus to describe what it means to become a follower of Christ. Periodically I get emails, letters, and comments on this blog from folks who object to that imagery. Usually, it’s from someone concerned about one of two extremes – …
The Replacements
It was the hardest thing I had faced in my young life. When I was a junior in high school, I blew out my knee during a summer football practice and never played again. I surely wasn’t a superstar, but I still found my identity in putting on my pads and helmet and running onto the field. I grew up …
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