What's In Your Heart? // Sunday, January 4, 2026 // Roger Coleman, Executive Pastor
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IS CHRISTMAS PAGAN? // Sunday, November 30, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
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November 30, 2024
How did we get December 25th
Sol Invictus
Saturnalia
Holy people die on the date they were conceived
1. Christmas Tree
2. St. Bonafice
3. Paradise Tree
Jeremiah 10: 2 – 4 (NLT)
…“Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them. 3 Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. 4 They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over.
Celebrating Christ’s birth isn’t in the Bible.
John 10: 22 & 23 (NKJV)
Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
Bible is full of examples that teach us we are to remember the deeds of God
1 Corinthians 8: 4 – 6 (NLT)
So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.
FAITH PROMISE SUNDAY // Sunday, November 23, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
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November 23, 2024
Christianity is Two Simple Rules
The Great Commandment
Matthew 22: 36 - 40 (NLT)
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Love God and Love People
The Great Commission
Matthew 28: 19 & 20 (NLT)
…go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
13 U.S. Missionaries
23 World Missionaries
6 Missions Organizations
~ $130,000.00
WALKING IN WISDOM - James the Camel Knees // Sunday, November 9, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
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Sunday, October 26, 2025
Real People Living in the Real World Loving the Real God
James the Camel Knees
James 5: 13 – 18 (NLT)
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
When should you pray?
1. When you are hurting emotionally.
v. 13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray…
Kakopatheo:
To suffer misfortune.
To be in distress.
To be under pressure.
To be under tension.
v. 13 …Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
2. When you are hurting physically.
vv. 14 & 15 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
A. Types of sicknes:
1) Sickness of death.
1 John 5: 16 (NLT)
If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death,
you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it.
John 11: 4 (NLT)
…when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”
2) Sickness of discipline.
1 Corinthians 11: 27 – 31 (NLT)
…anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.
3) Sickness for God’s glory.
John 9: 1 - 3 (NLT)
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.
2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.
B. Attitudes toward healing:
1) Sensationalist.
2) Confessionalist.
3) Dispensationalist.
4) Rationalist.
5) Realist.
When should I pray?
3. When I’m hurting spiritually
v.16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…
WALKING IN WISDOM - Wait Patiently // Sunday, November 2, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, November 2, 2025
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
Wait Patiently
James 5: 7 – 12 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters,be patient as you wait for th Lord’s return.
Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient.Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
9 Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters,
or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door.
10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters,
look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering.
For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. 12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
When is patience necessary?
Patience is a rare jewel.
It’s graciousness in the face of delayed gratification.
1. When circumstances are uncontrollable (Farmer)
James 5: 7 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters,be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
2. When people are unreasonable (Prophets)
James 5: 10 (NLT)
For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters,
look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
3. When problems are unexplainable (Job)
James 5: 11 (NLT)
…For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance...
Why is patience necessary?
Patience is suffering without retaliation.
It’s the ability to endure hardship with the right attitude.
Patience is facing delayed gratification with peace.
It’s longsuffering.
1. Because God is sovereign (Farmer)
James 5: 8 (NLT)
You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
2. Because God rewards patience (Prophets)
James 5: 11 (NLT)
We give great honor to those who endure under suffering…
Matthew 5: 11 & 12 (NLT)
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
3. Even in the hardest moments,
God is faithfully weaving all things together for your good and His glory. (Job)
James 5: 11 (NLT)
…You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end,
for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
Romans 8: 28 (NLT)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
How to wait patiently.
The opposite of biblical patience is resentment toward God and / or retaliating toward others.
Instead of standing firm, It’s lashing out.
Wait expectantly (Farmer)
Psalm 130: 5 (ESV)
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.
1. Wait quietly (Prophets)
James 5: 9 & 12 (NLT)
Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door! 12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
Lamentations 3: 26 (NLT)
it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.
2. Wait confidently (Job)
Micah 7: 7 (NLT)
…I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.
Psalm 37: 7 (NLT)
Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.
Habakkuk 2: 3 (NLT)
This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place, It will not be delayed.
The counterfeit of biblical patience is cynicism or indifference.
WALKING IN WISDOM- Invest in Your Life // Sunday, October 19, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, October 19, 2025
Real People Living in the Real World Loving the Real God
Invest Your Life
James 5: 1 – 6 (NLT)
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.
4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
God is NOT opposed to wealth.
He is opposed to the MISUSE of wealth.
The misuse of wealth:
1. The accumulation of wealth…
Don’t hoard it!
…This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. v.3
Three types of hoarding:
1. Stockpiling food.
2. Collecting clothes.
3. Gathering precious metals & jewels.
Results:
Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded… v.2 & 3
Remember:
James 4: 15 (NLT)
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
The misuse of wealth:
1. The accumulation of wealth…
Don’t hoard it
2. The appropriation of wealth…
Don’t steal it!
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. v.4
3. The allocation of wealth…
Don’t waste it!
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. v.5
The misuse of wealth:
1. The accumulation of wealth… Don’t hoard it!
2. The appropriation of wealth… Don’t steal it!
3. The allocation of wealth… Don’t waste it!
4. The application of wealth… Don’t abuse it!
You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. v.6
The proper use of wealth:
1. The appropriate accumulation of wealth… Save money faithfully!
Proverbs 21: 20 (NLT)
The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.
A. Keys to saving.
1) Learn to live with a margin.
2) Learn to be content.
B. Valid reasons for saving.
1) It prevents impulsive buying.
2) It allows us to help others.
3) Your money works FOR you instead of you working for money.
The proper use of wealth:
2. The appropriation of wealth…
Earn it honestly…
Proverbs 13: 11 (NLT)
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
Proverbs 14: 23 (NLT)
Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
A. How much money can I make?
B. Qualifications: As long as it doesn’t hurt…
1) My health.
Proverbs 23: 4 (NLT)
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
2) My family.
3) Other people
4) My relationship with Christ.
3. The proper allocation of wealth… Spend it wisely!
Proverbs 21: 5 (ESV)
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The key: Budget
4. The proper application…
Give generously!
Proverbs 11: 24 & 25 (NLT)
Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. 25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Matthew 6: 20 (NLT)
Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven…
How?
Luke 16: 9 (NLT)
Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
WALKING IN WISDOM- Prepare to Move Forward // Sunday, October 12, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, September 28, 2025
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
Prepare to Move Forward
Preparation mistakes to avoid:
1. Planning without God.
James 4: 13 (NLT)
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.
Solution: Consult with God.
James 4: 15 (NLT)
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
Proverbs 16: 1 & 3 (NLT)
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer… 3Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
2. Presumption about tomorrow.
James 4: 14 - 16 (NLT)
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.
Isaiah 56: 12 (NLT)
“Come,” they say, “let’s get some wine and have a party. Let’s all get drunk. Then tomorrow we’ll do it again and have an even bigger party!”
Proverbs 27: 1 (NLT)
Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.
Solution: Make the most of today.
Matthew 6: 34 (NLT)
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
3. Procrastination: Putting off the good we KNOW we ought to do.
James 4: 17 (NLT)
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Solution: Do it NOW!
Proverbs 3: 27 & 28 (NLT)
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. 28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.
Three things you can do with your life:
1. Spend it.
2. Waste it.
3. Invest it.
Luke 12: 16 – 20 (NLT)
… “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
Luke 12: 21 (NLT)
Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.
WALKING IN WISDOM- Give Grace // September 28, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, August 21, 2025
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
Give Grace
James 4: 11 & 12 (NLT)
Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
Why do we like to judge others?
1. To excuse our faults.
Romans 2: 3 (NLT)
Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
A. How do we excuse our sins?
1) Re-label
2. It feeds our ego.
Proverbs 26: 22 (ESV)
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Why we shouldn’t judge others
1. It’s not Christ-like!
John 8: 44 (NLT)
...you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Revelation 12: 10 (NKJV)
...the accuser of our brethren…
2. It’s unloving.
Anyone who...judges, speaks against the law… (James 4:11)
James 2: 8 (NLT)
Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
3. It’s unjustified.
James 4: 12 (NLT)
God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge... So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
When is it wrong to judge others?
1. When I’m guilty of the same sin.
Romans 2: 1 - 3 (NLT)
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
2. Basing my judgment on outward appearance.
John 7: 24 (ESV)
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.
3. When I condemn someone before I know all the facts.
John 7: 51 (NLT)
Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?
4. Based on external religious observances.
Colossians 2: 16 (NLT)
So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
How to break the habit of judging others?
1. Remember that I will be judged in the same manner that I judge others.
Matthew 7: 1 & 2 (NLT)
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
2. We are accountable to God.
Romans 14: 12 & 13 (NLT)
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
3. Remember God’s mercy to me!
James 2: 13 (NLT)
There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE // Sunday, August 10, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
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Sunday, July 27, 2025
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
Speaking the Truth in Love
When Someone You Love
is Making Bad Decisions
We must be aware of the Exploitation of Christian compassion
Ephesians 4: 11 - 15 (NLT)
Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Distorted Views that Prevent us from Speaking the Truth in Love
1. A distorted view of grace and love.
Proverbs 28: 23 (NASB)
One who rebukes a person will afterward find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.
2. A distorted view of the Christian life.
Ephesians 4: 25 (ESV)
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
3. A distorted view of the bible.
Matthew 7: 1 – 3 (NLT)
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. 3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
Why is it so hard to confront someone I love?
Because it’s hard!
Why should we speak the truth in love?
1. It follows the example of Jesus.
2. Love requires it.
1 Corinthians 13: 6 (ESV)
Love… does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
3. It produces growth.
Ephesians 4: 15 (NLT)
…we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
4. Because the stakes are high.
James 5: 19 & 20 (NLT)
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
I must care more about their relationship with God than their response to me.
Am I willing to be misunderstood or even rejected?
Practical steps to speaking the truth in love:
1. Be clear about the issue.
Is the issue unbiblical, unwise, or unimportant?
2. Discern if you are the one to address the issue.
Proverbs 27:6 (NLT)
Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
3. Pray that they will be open and receptive.
4. Address the issue in person.
5. Be gentle and wise in your approach but be truthful.
Galatians 6: 1 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.
6. Realize you may not be able to save them from the consequences of their actions.
7. Assure them of God’s forgiveness.
1 John 1: 9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
WALKING IN WISDOM - Peace In The Family // Sunday, August 3, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, August 3, 2025
Walking in Wisdom
God’s Guidance for Daily Living
Healthy People Grow
Growing People Change
Changed People, Change People
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
Peace in the Family
Romans 12: 18 (NASB)
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.
The cause of quarrels:
Conflicting Desires
James 4: 1 (NLT)
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?
A. Three basic desires that cause quarrels:
1. The desire to have (possessions)
James 4: 2 (NLT)
You want what you don’t have...You are jealous of what others have…
2. The desire to feel (pleasure).
James 4: 3 (NLT)
...you want only what will give you pleasure.
3. The desire to be (pride)
Proverbs 13: 10 (NLT)
Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
B. Why aren’t our desires fulfilled?
James 4: 2 & 3 (NLT)
You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong — you want only what will give you pleasure.
B. Conflict with God.
James 4: 4 - 6 (NLT)
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
II. The cure for quarrels: Humility
James 4: 6 & 10 (NLT)
...“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble...” 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
A. Steps to defusing quarrels:
1. Give in to God.
James 4: 7 (NLT)
So humble yourselves before God.
Colossians 3: 15 (NLT)
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
2. Get wise to Satan.
James 4: 7 (NLT)
...Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
2 Corinthians 2: 11 (NLT)
So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
3. Grow closer to God.
James 4: 8 (NLT)
Come close to God, and God will come close to you.
Isaiah 26: 3 (NLT)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
4. Gain God’s grace.
James 4: 8 & 9 (NLT)
…Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
WALKING IN WISDOM- An Honorable Life // Sunday, July 27, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, July 20, 2025
Walking in Wisdom
God’s Guidance for Daily Living
Healthy People Grow
Growing People Change
Changed People, Change People
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
An Honorable Life
James 3: 18 (NLT)
... those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
How do we sow seeds of peace in relationships? Wisdom!
¨ Wisdom is a lifestyle.
James 3: 13 (NLT)
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
¨ Lack of wisdom causes problems.
James 3: 14 - 16 (NLT)
But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
How can you relate wisely with others?
1. I won’t compromise my integrity.
James 3: 17
...the wisdom from above is first of all pure …
1 John 3: 3 (NLT)
...all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure,
just as he is pure…
Proverbs 10: 9 (ESV)
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
2. I won’t antagonize your anger.
James 3:17 (NLT)
...the wisdom from above is...also peace loving ...
Proverbs 20: 3 (NLT)
Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
A. Three agitators of anger:
1) Comparing
2) Condemning
3) Contradicting
3. I won’t minimize your feelings.
James 3: 17 (NLT)
...wisdom from above is ...gentle at all times …
Proverbs 15: 4 (ESV)
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
4. I won’t criticize your opinion.
James 3:17 (NLT)
...wisdom from above is...willing to yield to others.
Proverbs 12: 15 (NLT)
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
5. I won’t focus on your mistakes.
James 3: 17 (NLT)
...wisdom from above is ...full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds.
Proverbs 17: 19 (ESV)
Whoever loves transgression loves strife…
6. I won’t disguise my own weaknesses.
James 3: 17 (NLT)
...wisdom from above is ...shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
Proverbs 28: 13 (NLT)
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
If I lack wisdom, I need to ask God for it.
James 1: 5 & 6 (NLT)
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
If I lack wisdom, I need Jesus in my life.
Colossians 2: 3 (NLT)
In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
WALKING IN WISDOM -Taming Your Tongue // Sunday, July 20, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, July 20, 2025
Walking in Wisdom
God’s Guidance for Daily Living
Healthy People Grow
Growing People Change
Changed People, Change People
Real People
Living in the Real World
Loving the Real God
Taming Your Tongue
James 3: 1 & 2 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
Why must I watch what I say?
1. My tongue directs where I go.
A. The tongue is small,
but powerful!
James 3: 3 (NLT)
We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
B. My tongue determines the
course of my life!
James 3: 4 (NLT)
...a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go,
even though the winds are strong.
Proverbs 18: 21 (NASB)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18: 21 (AMP)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
2. My tongue can be destructive!
A. A careless word can destroy
my blessings.
James 3: 5 & 6 (NLT)
...a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire.
B. My tongue can create a chain
reaction!
James 3: 6 (NLT)
…It (the tongue) is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
God’s advice:
Proverbs 21: 23 (NLT)
Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.
C. I must rely on God to help me
tame my tongue.
James 3: 7 & 8 (NLT)
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
3. My tongue displays who I am.
A. I am inconsistent.
James 3: 9 & 10 (NLT)
Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
B. What’s in the well comes out in
the water.
James 3: 11 & 12 (NLT)
Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
The root of the problem is my heart!
Matthew 12: 34 & 35 (NLT)
You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
What is the solution?
1. I need a new heart.
Ezekiel 18: 31 (NLT)
Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit…
How do I get a new heart?
2 Corinthians 5: 17 (NKJV)
... if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2. Ask God for help every day!
Psalm 141: 3 (NLT)
Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
3. Think BEFORE you speak!
James 1: 19 (NLT)
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.