If you were given one wish, for what would you ask? A lot of money? Fame? A long life?

I heard about a couple celebrating their wedding anniversary. They were both about 50 years old.  As they strolled along the beach, the husband accidentally kicked over a bottle hidden in the sand.  A genie emerged. “You can each have one wish,” she said.

The wife made her wish first. “I would like a luxurious trip around the world with my husband.” Suddenly there appeared in her hand two tickets for just such an adventure.

Now it was the husbands turn. “Well,” said the husband, with a mischievous look on his face, “I wish my wife were 25 years younger than I am.” The words were barely out of his mouth when, poof, he became 75 years old!

The reality is that, if you lack wisdom, even wishes that come true can become curses. Above all else we need wisdom! If you’re going to “make a wish,” wish for wisdom! Pray rightly for it and God will grant it!

This Sunday at Istrouma we will focus on James 3:13-18 and what God says there about wisdom. Be sure to join us!  It’ll be better for you than a trip around the world!

James: Practical Spirituality

“Wish for Wisdom!”   

James 3:13-18

1. Different origins of wisdom

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic (3:15)

1. Different operations of wisdom

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (3:16-17).

1. Different outcomes of wisdom

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (3:18).

Las dos Sabidurias!

“Stick out your tongue.”

That’s the typical instruction you get when you go for a doctor’s visit, right?  Have you ever wondered why? It’s because your tongue tells a lot about you. From anemia, to autoimmune diseases, to allergies, to vitamin deficiencies, to hygiene, to hydration, the tongue can be a good indicator of your physical health.

Did you know that your tongue can also be a good indicator of your spiritual health?  The words that we say (or fail to say) are a telltale sign of the condition of our hearts. Jesus knew this full well. Listen to what he said in Luke 6:45, especially the final phrase, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”  Our tongue is a window through which we can see the health of our heart.

This coming Sunday morning we’ll allow the Great Physician to take a good, long, hard look at our tongues—at the words we speak and the heart that prompts them. We’ll be in James 3:1-12 for a message entitled, “Tame the Tongue.” Be sure to join us!

James: Practical Spirituality

“Tame the Tongue!”   

James 3:1-12

1. The paradox of the tongue

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  (3:5)

1. The potential of the tongue

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God (3:9).

1. The problem of the tongue

But no human being can tame the tongue (3:8a).

!Controlando la lengua!

"A ver... saque la lengua, por favor...."
Es lo primero que dice el doctor cuando llegamos a su consultorio.
Es porque en nuestra lengua dice mucho de nosotros! Es un indicador de nuestra salud, enfermedades, deficiencias vitamínicas, higiene, hidratación, etc. Pero, ¿sabes que la lengua también puede ser un indicador de nuestra salud espiritual? Las palabras que decimos y aún las que no decimos revelan lo que hay en nuestro corazón (Lucas 6.45 "... de la abundancia del corazón, habla la boca") Este domingo no se pierda este tema de la serie "Espiritualidad Practica" desde el libro de Santiago en la Biblia.

Quien esta en el control?

El Apóstol Pablo desde la cárcel, motiva a sus lectores alegrarse. ¿No es esto contradictorio? como alguien inocente y privado de su libertad. Nos anima a estar contentos.
¿Dónde encontró Pablo la fuerza para hacerlo?
Lo sabremos este domingo, 9:15am.
Todos invitados!!!

In the great flood of 2016, over 140,000 homes flooded.  A governmental organization was formed to offer help to those persons affected by the floods.  Hundreds of millions of dollars were allocated for that purpose.  Extensive efforts were made to get people to apply for grants.

Approximately 50,000 homeowners applied for help.  That means that, in very round numbers, only a little more than one-third of those adversely affected by the flood applied for grants.  Why so few?  Perhaps some didn’t think that they needed the help.  Perhaps some were unaware of the offer.  It is likely that some did not believe that the offer would produce any genuine help. 

But I, for one, believed (or at least I was desperate)! Granted, my faith was small and wavering, but I knew we had a need. I also knew monies had been allotted.  So here’s the way my thinking went: perhaps, if I apply, I may get help; but if I don’t apply, I know I won’t get any help.  So, I matched my wavering faith with concrete actions—I applied.  In fact, that small seed of faith gave birth to my actions.  You could say that the “works” of filling out the applications and engaging in the process were the evidence and the product of my “faith.” 

A faith that will not complete the application accomplishes nothing.  In fact any such “faith” is dead.  It is false. 

Genuine faith works.  Authentic faith acts.

In the end, we were blessed with a grant that helped us restore our home.  In a manner of speaking, faith secured grace.  And we are grateful!

That may not be a perfect illustration of the relationship between salvation, faith and works, but it is along the lines of what the Apostle James argues in chapter 2 verses 14-26 of his namesake epistle. He insists that faith without works is dead.  It does not save.  To the contrary, the only kind of faith that saves is the kind that works!

Join us this coming Sunday at Istrouma as we continue our sermon series through the epistle of James in a message entitled, “Don’t Be Fooled by False Faith!”

James: Practical Spirituality

“Don’t Be Fooled by False Faith”   

James 2:14-26

1. Dead faith

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (2:14-17).

1. Demonic faith

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! (2:19)

1. Dynamic faith

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead (2:21-26).