Calvary Albuquerque with Skip Heitzig Audio Podcast

Mirrors are honest! Under well-lit conditions, mirrors reveal the truthful condition of the observer. The Bible is the Word of God. Like a mirror, it reveals the truth about our world, our character, and our God. But then we must act accordingly; doing must follow reading and hearing. James mentions five areas in our lives—five categories—the Word of God should govern.I. Submission (vv. 22-24)II. Study (v. 25)III. Speech (v. 26)IV. Service (v. 27a)V. Separation (v. 27b)Talk with God: Assess your spiritual growth in the mirror of God’s Word and pray for wisdom and clarity in confronting your blind spots.Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if they’ve observed areas of your life where you have not continued in “the perfect law of liberty” (v. 25).Talk with kids: How has God shown us generosity through Jesus?

The Word of God is “full of living power,” wrote the author of Hebrews (4:12, TLB). It has the power to change a life completely and for eternity. James has been telling us that God gives good gifts and the first is the gift of salvation! But that is just the beginning. After birth comes growth, and the theme of this book is spiritual maturity. The primary agent for spiritual maturity is God’s Word. But unless we listen to it and allow it to work in us, it will never have its intended impact.

It’s one thing to be tested on the outside (trials); it’s another thing to be tested on the inside (temptation). God may allow temptations in order to strengthen our faith. But Satan desires to tempt us to weaken our faith. In C. S. Lewis’s classic book The Screwtape Letters, a senior demon wrote to a trainee, saying, “All the habits of the [Christian], both mental and bodily, are still in our favor.” Today, we consider how temptation works and find workable solutions to overcome it.I. The Source of Temptation (vv. 13-14)II. The Course of Temptation (vv. 14-15)III. Our Resource in Temptation (vv. 16-18)Talk with God: Ask the Holy Spirit which areas of your faith need to be shored up and strengthened.Talk with others: With your Connect Group, discuss some practical things you can implement in your daily life to avoid common temptations.Talk with kids: Who is the Holy Spirit?

An old English children’s game followed the poem “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief.” In the game, kids would try to determine what they would become later in life. Whether we become rich or poor, one thing is common to all—hardship. Trials are the great equalizer, bringing all of God’s children to depend on Him. James, with barefaced practicality, looked at the advantages of suffering for both the poor man and the rich man.I. Our World Is Divided (vv. 9-12)II. Our Outlook Is Delightful (vv. 9-10)III. Our Materialism Is Doomed (vv. 10-11)IV. Our Future Is Dependent (v. 12)Talk with God: Reflect on your typical reaction to trials. Ask the Lord to change your perspective so depending on Him becomes your instinctual reaction.Talk with others: Ask an unbelieving friend or family member how you can help them through a tough situation in their life.Talk with kids: How do we make disciples? Why is it important to make disciples?

Growing up has its advantages. Adults face life’s struggles differently than children do. Both children and adults feel strong emotions about the trials they face, but they display their emotions differently. A mature Christian can even dare to experience joy during such times. Whatever you may be facing in life, there are four realities about hardship you should know.I. Trials Are Normal (v. 2)II. Trials Can Be Joyful (v. 2)III. Trials Could Be Transformational (vv. 3-4)IV. Trials Should Be Educational (vv. 5-8)Talk with God: Ask the Lord to show you how you can prepare your heart for the struggles ahead.Talk with others: Ask someone close to you how you can help them walk through a current struggle.Talk with kids: How does God forgive our sins?

You’ve probably been in a situation where there was confusion, even pandemonium, and most people were acting like immature children. What was needed was just one person to act like an adult and bring decorum and civility back. In such situations, one might say, “Where is the adult in the room?” It refers to someone who will behave responsibly in a mature manner. The book of James is about spiritual maturity. It is a call to grow up and not just grow old. James was the adult in the room.I. The Author “James”II. The Autobiography “a bondservant of God and of…Jesus Christ”III. The Audience “To the twelve tribes…scattered abroad”IV. The Address “Greetings”Talk with God: Reflect on your spiritual growth journey and ask the Lord to show you where He wants to grow you.Talk with others: Ask a trusted believer or mentor to hold you accountable in working toward growth in a specific area of your walk.Talk with kids: What do you believe to be true about God, even though you haven’t seen Him?

People either misunderstand the cross or they don't know its purpose and significance. Some think it's a tragic mistake or just a trivial symbol. When it came to the Messiah, the Jews anticipated a conqueror—instead, they got a sin bearer. Through the cross, Jesus glorified the Father and paid the price for our sins. Instead of shying away from it, we choose to celebrate the cross.

Today we are entering into Passion Week—commemorating Jesus’ final days leading up to the cross, His burial, and His resurrection. We are all familiar with these events. As Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem, the crowd placed palm branches on the ground. In a few days, Jesus would be crucified, and they would place His body in the ground. But three days later, He would rise from the ground. Let’s note three comparisons of things that may be good versus something that’s best.

I. The Identity of Your PurposeII. The Impairment to Your PurposeIII. The Importance of Your PurposeTalk with God: Evaluate your daily habits and ask the Lord how you can take practical steps “not [to] be conformed to this world” (v. 2).Talk with others: How can you use your gifts to serve your family, friends, or community?Talk with kids: In what ways was Jesus’ trial unfair?