James firmly commands us not to speak evil against one another in James 4:11-12. He does this not only because the fruits of this action are rotten but because it is an attack on the Lord Himself. When a person speaks evil and judges another, he/she has done something significant.

So what is truth? Truth is the person of Jesus Christ. As Paul sums up in 1 Timothy 3:16, “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” The service of a deacon comes from Christ, focuses on Christ, and lifts up the name of Christ.

We live in a time that struggles to understand the Lordship of Christ. One of the hot topics among Christian circles right now involves the application of Christ's Kingship. Every Christian agrees that Christ is King. Every Christian knows that Christ sustains all things. Every Christian believes that He exercises authority. The issue comes down to the extent of His authority. Is he exercising an active Lordship or passive?

The Great Commission is turned to the Great Consumer. Instead of making Christians, churches make clients. This occurs by bringing unbelievers into Sunday worship, conferences, and other church events to ‘save’ them. The reality is these churches need saving.

We in Western societies have sleepwalked our way into allowing covetous ideologies, primarily “socioeconomic justice”, which is grounded in socialist principles, to infiltrate all our major institutions of influence - our governments, our schools and universities, and our news and entertainment.

When the enemies surround us and bring their attacks against us, we already have the victory in hand. Christ, who conquered death and resurrected, has given us this victory. We don't need chariots of fire. That would be a downgrade. That would be settling for a weaker army. Christ is all we need.

For Easter, we are sharing a poem by CS Lewis.

This past Sunday began what’s known as Holy Week. Every day is holy to the Lord, so it’s not that this week, in particular, is commanded by the Lord to be set aside. All of us will work, go about our everyday routine, care for children, pay our bills, and live life as usual. However, we call it a holy week because of the marvelous events that unfolded in Scripture.

We are called to guard our mouths, for our words could destroy us, our families, our churches, and our society. Those who claim, "I just speak what's on my mind," don't display a virtuous characteristic but demonstrate a lack of self-control. Those who wear their emotions on their sleeves aren't "just being honest," but show they do not guard their mouth. How do we guard our mouths and tame our tongues?

Every so often, news headlines erupt with a hot topic that divides Christians. In the news last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled on a case that involved frozen embryos through the IVF process. A simple internet search will explain the process if you're unfamiliar with IVF. The Court's ruling acknowledged that each fertilized egg produced from IVF is a child. However, this sent shockwaves through the church.

Living at an intersection of various cultures has taught me many things. Some of these include similarities between all people. For instance, people enjoy laughing. God has created humor; people tell stories and jokes to make others laugh. Another example involves eating. Each group prides themselves on some dish or food from their nationality, and people enjoy eating. However, one of the most common similarities all cultures have is the use of words.

One of the most overused words in the English language is ‘good.’ Our days are good. Our kids are doing good. That Roman Carbonara was good. Her dress looks good. Good, good, good. We even use the word to remove the harshness of a description. For example, “That restaurant was good, but…” Good is not great, and it’s certainly not the best. It’s just, well, good. It’s no wonder that most people classify themselves as good. They know they aren’t perfect. They know they make mistakes. But they aren’t bad. So, they are good. However, the Bible removes this cultural lie and reveals that good is an excellent word.

We live in a time where tension among ethnicities is high. Over the past couple of decades, an increase in pressure has occurred. The Leftist globalism and "woke" ideology have fueled much of this tension and promoted the elevation of certain ethnicities. These ideologies are unbiblical, with terrible consequences.

Culture and the world attempt to capture our allegiance. Peter struggled with this in his life. When Christ spoke that he was going to Jerusalem for the crucifixion, Peter replied with a contradictory statement by saying, “No, Lord.” Jesus can’t be Lord of your life if you tell him no. Jesus rebuked him for this. When Christ spoke about his death and resurrection, Peter replied with a boastful statement that he would never fall away.

We aren't called to be mindless, naïve, emotionally charged, obtuse people. We must be mindful, wise, joyful, and astute. This means proclaiming the Gospel that quenches all fires and brings reconciliation with the red-hot Eternal God. This means being salt and light, even when people want blandness and darkness. This starts with being a mindful Christian.

The Christian life is one of endurance. As we’ve been covering James, trials produce endurance, ultimately leading to maturity in Christ. These are for our good and given to us by God. On the other hand, indulging in temptations undercut our growth in Christ.

What do you call a person who freely gives up their Queen in chess? You call them the same thing that you call a Christian who doesn't pray. Crazy! That's because prayer is the Christian's advantage in this world. To give that up is to give up a fruitful, joyful, and exhilarating life. To give up prayer is to give up the catalyst to align oneself with the will of God.

Merry Christmas! As you celebrate the coming of Christ through giving gifts, eating lavishly, and resting joyously, give Him thanks for salvation. In order to spark your heart towards gratitude, here is an excerpt from John Piper's book, Good News of Great Joy.

The world may hate you for stomping on their easy solution to guilt or even introducing a means by which guilt is absolved. Yet, we are called to be bold and courageous, not backing down, for we have a hope that rests on the absolution of transgressions.

The role of a king is somewhat lost on our modern Western minds. When people think of a king, they think of a wealthy, fat, finely clothed man with access to every luxury of the kingdom. They might also picture one who sits above everyone else, who is there to be served, and who makes demands. Some might imagine a tyrant who has let absolute power corrupt absolutely. As Americans, we rebel against monarchial rule, for the power belongs to the republic, not one man. After all, we won the war for independence!