Watermark Audio: Sunday Messages

It shouldn't be our goal in life to be well off with resources, but rather have a goal to have a deep relationship with God. James makes it clear that we need to be faithful with what we have. Misplacing our priorities can end in a futile pursuit which could ultimately cost exponentially more than we are willing to give.

Don't be a WENI - Christlike Communication

Sin is a source of quarrels and conflicts among us, as we speak against one another or pass judgment against our brothers we speak the truth outlined in James. But don't dilute yourself just being passive hearers of the word.

A look at the cost of taking shortcuts in our lives that no one can afford, and the great reward of daily steps with our Heavenly Father.

Remembering Our Core Values: Examine Your Life, Excel Still More

The first casualty of sin is relationships, God created us to be in a relationship with Him yet we allow the pleasures of this world to come between us. "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." As we submit and draw near to Him, we're told to confess our sin and humble ourselves in His presence.

Those who are committed to an idea, and those who are submitted to God have some distinct differences. People truly submitted to God in love trust in what Jesus has done, and measure success by our partnering with God. James outlines how we can know if our faith is real, how we can know that it's not just a commitment to an idea but rather an embracing of a transforming truth.

The tongue may be small, but it is most certainly powerful. We should never be people who say that He is the Lord of our lives, but not the Lord of our lips. Why say He is Lord of our lives, yet hold out one area where it never reveals itself? "Out of the abundance of the heart so the mouth speaks." Oftentimes our actions are a representation of the heart. When we truly let Christ work in our lives, evidence of His love and grace is manifested by our actions.

James breaks down how we can know that we've more than just a said faith but rather one that is truly a saving faith. One that is more than just professing delusion but one of a truly saved follower of Christ.

When thinking of Christ we can quickly place him in the box of history past. This is a limited view on his faithfulness to us; excluding what he has yet to do. As we walk with him we continue to see his faithfulness as a loving Father. "Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard." Proverbs 13:15

There are things we collect through life that we don't want to continue carrying. Things from our past that we don't need to be lugged along any longer -- the things we need to be rid of. Christ takes our shame upon himself so that we no longer have to bear the burden of our actions because we are made new in Christ.

Most people want to change the world but nobody wants to change themselves. Frequently we focus on what others need to do than what we need to do ourselves. In reality, we all need to examine the next steps we can take individually to become a healthy follower of Christ. Sometimes that's as simple as acknowledging we're not God, coming to the end of ourselves and no longer leaning on our own understanding.

Trusting God in Temptation

A lot of us may have a misunderstanding of what Christ is actually like. What are the real character traits of Christ? How can we emulate the character traits of Christ in our own lives and which of those character traits move us to worshiping him.

Consider whether you are living with a said faith, and not a saving faith. A saving faith is manifested in the way you deal with temptation and trial, the way you treat others. It is also the morality that you live by guided toward truth, righteousness, purity, faith and love.